THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UM\"ERSIT^' 

OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


e 


a'^^  17^ 


u  I 


]M 


V. 


iyrp 


rt 


r-^s^,. .   XV 


y 


-y^/l/jC^r'^ 


Qp'^rii^^^f  @^</<^  >^c£^ 


^        7 


THE 


Great  Revolution, 


A  HISTORY    OP  THB 


ICise  anTj  ^roflress  of  tt)e  people's  lartp 


IN  THB  CITY  OP 


Chicago  and  County  of  Cook, 


SKETCHES  OF  THE  ELECT  IN  OFFICE. 


iY    M.    L.    AHERN. 


\ 

CHICAGO : 

Lakeside  Publishing  and  Printing  Company. 
1874. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1874,  by 

M.  L.  AHERN, 

In  the  oflice  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  Washington. 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS. 


Jacob  Lengacher, 
Thomas  Cannon, 
David  Murphy, 
Michael  Brand,   - 
Thomas  Lynch, 
John  T.  Corcoran, 
Julius  Jonas, 


PAGE 
242 

244 

245 
246 
247 
249 


PART  III. 


COUNTY  OFFICERS. 

H.  B.  Miller,  County  Treasurer, 
Hermann  Lieb,  County  Clerk, 
M.  R.  M.  Wallace,  Judge  County  Court, 
James  Stewart,  Recorder,      -  .  . 

Austin  J.  Doyle,  Clerk  Criminal  Court, 
John  Stephens,  Coroner, 


253 

255 
257 
258 

259 
260        9 


MISCELLA  NEOUS. 


P.  O'Brien,  Supervisor, 

Miles  Kehoe,  City  Weigher, 

Julius  Rodbertus,  Assistant  Assessor, 


263 
264 
265 


COMMON  COUNCIL  STANDING 
COMMITTEES. 


The  following  is  the  disposition  of  standing  committees 
in  the  Common  Council  for  1873-4,  as  appointed,  under  the 
Mayor's  bill,  by  Mayor  Colvin  :* 

Finance. —  McGrath,  Spalding,  Lynch,  Schaffner,  Heath. 

Railroads. —  Lengacher,  Richardson,  McGrath,  Stout, 
Woodman. 

Judiciary,  —  Richardson,  Cannon,  White,  Cullerton, 
Campbell. 

Fire  and  Water. —  Corcoran,  Mahr,  Foley,  Woodman. 
Stone. 

Schools. —  Moore,  Reidy,  Eckhardt,  Lynch,  Cleveland. 

Streets  and  Alleys,  S.  D. —  Schmitz,  Stone,  Coey 
Foley,  Spalding,  Dixon. 

Streets  and  Alleys,  W.  D. —  McClory,  Hildreth,  Ke- 
hoe,  Woodman,  Miner,  O'Brien,  Campbell,  Cleveland,  Eck- 
hardt. 

Streets  and  Alleys,  N.  D. —  Lynch,  Cannon,  Corcoran, 
Lengacher,  Stout. 

Wharves  and  Public  Grounds.  —  Cannon,  Schmitz, 
Moore,  Jonas,  Bailey  of  the  Ninth. 

*  Under  this  bill,  Mayor  Colvin  presided  over  the  Council.  At  the  expiration  of 
the  measure,  Aid.  Dixon  succeeded  to  the  position. 


14  COMMON    COUNCIL    STANDING    COMMITTEES. 

Wharfing  Privileges.  —  Kehoe,  Cleveland,  O'Brien, 
Warren,  Clark. 

Local  Assessments. —  Fitzgerald,  Moore,  Reidy,  Hil- 
dreth.  Murphy. 

Bridewell. —  White,  Heath,  Bailey  of  the  Ninth,  Spal- 
ding, Jonas. 

Licenses. —  Brandt,  Bailey  of  the  Ninth,  Mahr,  Reidy, 
Corcoran. 

Police.  —  Schaffner,  Richardson,  Murphy,  Cullerton, 
Mahr. 

Gaslights.  —  Cullerton,  Jonas,  Pickering,  Schaffner, 
Miner. 

Harbor  and  Bridges. —  Hildreth,  Coey,  Sidwell,  Len- 
gacher,  Bailey  of  the  Ninth. 

Printing. —  Foley,  Fitzgerald,  McGrath,  Murphy,  Bailey 
of  the  Eighth. 

Markets. —  Stout,  O'Brien,  Warren,  Quirk,  Sidwell. 

Public  Buildings. —  Bailey  of  the  Eighth,  Schmitz,  Coey, 
Heath,  Brandt. 

County  Relations. —  Pickering,  Hildreth,  Dixon,  Brand, 
Bailey  of  the  Ninth. 


PART  I. 


History  of   the   People's   Party. 


THE   PEOPLE'S    PARTY. 


The  People's  Party  was  built  after  a  very  peculiar  fashion. 
The  plans  and  specifications  of  the  doughty  structure 
were  prepared  by  a  party  of  religious  adventurers,  known 
as  "The  Committee  of  Seventy"  —  an  organization  of  gen- 
tlemen constructed  in  the  interest  of  temperance,  immedi- 
ately after  the  passage  of  the  State  Liquor  Law.  Mr. 
Joseph  Medill  filled  the  important  duties  of  contractor; 
and  Mr.  Elmer  Washburn  —  whose  acquaintance  with  dur- 
able stone  work  was  never  questioned  —  acted  as  sub-con- 
tractor. Before  the  building  was  completed,  it  is  true 
Mr.  Medill  departed  for  Europe;  and  when  it  was  com- 
pleted, it  is  a  well-known  fact  that  Mr.  Washburn  sud- 
denly and  mysteriously  disappeared;  leaving  behind 
Messrs.  A.  C.  Hesing,  Daniel  O'Hara,  H.  D.  Colvin,  and 
others  —  who  were  merely  assistants  —  to  enjoy  the  fruits 
of  their  labor.  These  facts  to  the  contrary  notwith- 
standing, the  People's  Party  is  an  edifice  nobody  need 
feel  ashamed  of. 

Messrs.  Hesing,  O'Hara  and  Company  have  decided 
that  the  structure  will  be  far  more  substantial  than 
its    predecessor      No    pains   will   be    spared    to   make    it 


l8  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

what  it  should  be.  Among  other  improvements,  it  is 
said,  Mr.  O'Hara  has  brought  into  requisition  an  in- 
genious device  — for  these  days  — whereby  the  People's 
money  will  be  perfectly  secure,  and  can  be  counted  at  any 
moment  without  extraordinary  public  excitement. 


Two  errors  by  the  Medillian  administration,  it.  may  be 
•said,  are  chiefly  responsible  for  what  is  known  as  the  Peo- 
ple's Party.  This  organization,  it  will  be  allowed,  to-day 
.holds  the  balance  of  power  in  the  great  city  of  Chicago. 
How  those  two  errors  occurred  is  best  known  to  the  ad- 
.ministration  during  whose  reign  they  were  committed. 

One  error  was  the  importation  from  Joliet,  111.,  of  a  Super- 
intendent of  Police  for  Chicago.  The  other  error  was  the 
attempt  to  enforce  an  oppressive  liquor  ordinance,  sug- 
gested by  a  party  of  men  calling  themselves  "  The  Com- 
mittee of  Seventy."  There  was  another  error,  about  which 
the  daily  press  has  spoken  considerably.  The  Tribune^  of 
December  15,  1873,  referring  thereto,  said: 

"  The  disclosures  published  elsewhere  regarding  the  defal- 
cation of  the  City  Treasurer,  Mr.  David  A.  Gage,  amply 
justify  all  the  charges  brought  against  him  by  his  opponents 
in  the  recent  city  election.  They  also  justify  a  change  in 
the  city  government.  Having  supported  Mr.  Gage  in  good 
faith,  and  having  disbelieved  the  charges  preferred  against 
him  until  a  few  days  ago,  when  we  learned  the  real  facts 
from  one  of  the  bondsmen,  we  are  now  free  to  acknowledge 
that  the  People's  Party  were  right  from  the  beginning,  so  far 
as  they  made  their  demand  that  the  city  money  be  counted. 


THE    PEOPLES    PARTY.  19 

Mr.  Gage  is  a  defaulter.  A  manful  acceptance  of  all  the 
consequences  of  his  acts  is  the  best  way  out  of  his  present 
difficulties.  We  believe  that  he  has  suflficient  property  to 
pay  everything  he  owes  to  the  city  in  time.  Certainly  that, 
added  to  the  security  of  his  official  bond,  is  sufficient. 
Meanwhile,  he  has  placed  the  City  Government  in  grave 
embarrassments."  *  *  *  * 

For  the  benefit  of  the  reader,  it  may  be  stated  that  the 
Chicago  Tribune  was  an  Opposition  paper,  and  the  David 
A.  Gage,  of  whom  it  speaks,  City  Treasurer,  under  the  Me- 
dillian  administration.  Full  particulars  regarding  Mr.  Gage's 
misfortune  will  be  found,  hereafter,  under  the  head,  "Count- 
ing the  Money." 

As  regards  Error  No.  i  :  The  gentleman  imported  from 
Joliet  was  known  as  Elmer  Washburn.  At  whose  instance 
the  Mayor,  acting  under  the  Mayor's  Bill  (passed  for  the 
benefit  of  cities  exceeding  10,000  inhabitants),  came  to  be 
convinced  that  there  was  not  a  solitary  man  in  Chicago,  fit 
to  be  the  Superintendent  of  Police  of  the  city  in  which  he 
lived  ;  that  in  fact  he  must  needs  go  to  Joliet  after  him,  is 
beyond  ordinary  comprehension.  Certain  it  is  that  Mr. 
Washburn,  when  he  made  that  trip  from  Joliet  to  Chicago, 
was  an  ill-fated  passenger.  From  the  moment  he  made  his 
first  appearance  in  the  habiliments  of  his  office,  it  was  pain- 
fully evident  that  Mr.  Washburn,  while  apparently  a  very 
fine  gentleman,  had  mistaken  his  vocation.  He  did  not 
seem  to  comprehend  the  duty  of  Superintendent  of  Police 
from  the  outset,  in  but  very  rare  instances.  Whether  he 
was  acting  under  impulse  or  instruction,  his  orders  touch- 


20  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

ing  police  duty  form  the  strangest  record  this  generation 
has  ever  witnessed  in  this  particular  line.  His  order  for 
twelve  hours  successive  service  by  the  patrolmen,  among 
other  fatal  mistakes,  made  him  very  unpopular  among  his 
men ;  and  his  disposition  of  the  force  regarding  the  detec- 
tion of  liquor-sellers  on  Sunday,  while  unwary  travelers  were 
-being  sand-bagged  with  impunity,  made  him  the  target  of 
most  extensive  abuse.  At  the  approach  of  the  fall  elect- 
ions, the  following,  in  regard  to  Mr.  Washburn,  appeared  in 
a  leading  journal : 

"  The  leaders  of  the  Republican  party  in  this  city  have 
just  awakened  to  the  fact  —  long  ago  apparent  to  the  blind- 
est—  that  the  association  of  moral  ideas  is  not  as  strong  as 
it  formeily  was  in  this  city.  They  look  profound  astonish- 
ment when  they  get  on  that  subject,  and  remark,  '  We  have 

been  losing  votes,'  and  vainly  inquire   'Where  is  the  leak.'  ' 
***** 

At  last,  they  think  they  have  found  it.  It  is  Superintendent 
Washburn."  *  *  *  * 

The  Times,  of  Wednesday,  October  22,  1873,  under  the 
head  of  "  How  He  Does  It,"  contained  the  following  : 

"  If  anybody  anywhere  knows  of  anything  that  has  not 
been  done  —  outside  of  his  duty  —  by  a  Chicago  police- 
man, and  will  kindly  inform  Mr.  Washburn  what  that  par- 
ticular thing  is,  he  will  detail  some  of  his  force  to  do  it  at 
once.  In  this  category  of  things  done  should  be  included 
everything  except  the  suppression  of  crime.  This,  however, 
is  a  department  of  effort  in  which  our  excellent  chief  has 
no  ambition.     What  he  is  evidently  attempting  to  do,  and 


THE    PEOPLES    PARTY.  21 

which  he  has  attained  a  most  astonishing  success  in  doing, 
is  doing  every  possible  thing  except  his  duty.  So  marked 
is  this  line  of  action  on  the  part  of  our  chief,  that  it  leads 
the  Times  to  make  a  suggestion  which,  it  believes,  will  be 
greatly  to  the  benefit  of  the  city,  by  enabling  Chicago  to 
avail  itself  of  the  services  of  a  very  excellent  man.  This 
suggestion  is  that,  in  order  to  have  our  police  business  thor- 
oughly attended  to,  Mr.  Washburn  should  be  made  comp- 
troller of  the  currency,  or  elected  as  a  Trustee  in  Hyde 
Park.  Once  in  either  of  these  positions,  or  any  similar 
one,  Mr.  Washburn  would  at  once  give  his  whole  attention 
to  the  police  work  of  Chicago,  from  the  idiosyncracy  in  his 
nature  to  do  with  great  vigor  that  which  he  is  not  expected 
to  do,  and  which  is  entirely  outside  of  his  official  position. 
It  is  true  that  as  such  Comptroller,  he  would  pay  no  atten- 
tion to  the  currency,  or,  if  a  Trustee  of  Hyde  Park,  he  would 
not  have  the  slightest  interest  in  the  doings  of  that  domin- 
ion. As  a  Trustee  of  Hyde  Park,  he  would  esteem  it  his 
especial  duty  to  put  down  houses  of  ill-fame,  and  bunko- 
players,  just  as  now ;  while  Chief  of  the  Chicago  police,  he 
feels  it  to  be  his  duty  to  regulate  affairs  over  in  the  State  of 
Indiana.  As  Comptroller  of  the  currency,  he  would  at  once 
institute  measures  against  the  ten  thousand' and  odd  crimi- 
nals of  Chicago,  just  as  now;  while  Superintendent  of  our 
police,  he  employs  himself  as  a  boss-tailor  by  inventing  a 
new  roll  for  the  lappel  of  a  coat,  or  adds  an  inch  to  its  tails. 
It  is  quite  certain  that  it  is  only  by  some  such  ruse  as  this 
that  the  public  will  ever  succeed  in  getting  Mr.  Washburn  to 
attend  to  properly  policing  the  Garden  City.       Meanwhile, 


22  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

until  something  is  accomplished,  as  above  suggested,  the 
people  will  watch  with  interest  the  vagaries  of  the  erratic 
Superintendent.  When  he  has  arranged  affairs  in  Indiana 
to  suit  his  ideas,  he  will  probably  look  into  things  in  Iowa 
and  Kansas.  We  may  also  venture  to  hint  to  him  that  the 
currency  act  needs  tinkering,  and  which  being  altogether 
out  of  his  line,  he  will  be  proportionately  anxious  to  take 
hold  of  it.  This  attended  to,  the  spots  on'  the  sun  might  be 
looked  into,  and  then  he  might  apply  himself  to  discovering 
a  wash  that  would  take  the  stripes  out  of  a  zebra.  Of 
course,  there  is  no  reason  why  the  stripes  should  be  taken 
out  of  a  zebra,  which  assurance,  it  is  certain,  will  awaken 
all  Mr.  Washburn's  ambition  to  take  them  out  at  once. 
Meanwhile,  the  thieves,  bunko-players,  and  the  rest  of  the 
guild,  will  have  to  have  their  own  way  until  such  a  time  as 
Mr.  Washburn's  successor  shall  be  appointed." 

The  following  touching  farewell  notice,  given  to  the  mys- 
teriously disappearing  Superintendent  by  a  leading  journal, 
will  convey  an  idea  of  the  popularity  of  his  regime  : 

"  Elmer  Washburn  will  leave  Chicago  in  about  the  same 
manner  that  he  came,  with  this  exception  :  Many  regretted 
his  coming,  and  but  few  will  sigh  at  his  departure.  Those 
who  have  entertained  the  idea  that  he  contemplated  resist- 
ing the  power  of  the  Mayor's  bill,  or  that  he  would  remain 
in  Chicago  after  his  head  was  chopped  off,  would  undoubtedly 
be  convinced  of  their  error  should  they  visit  his  late  res- 
idence. No.  97  Twenty -Second  street.  The  card,  "  For 
Rent,"  is  on  the  door,  and  not  a  sign  of  Elmer,  or  any  mem- 
ber of  his  household,  can  be  perceived  by  the  closest  scru- 


THE    PEOPLES    PARTY.  23 

tiny.  In  a  somewhat  mysterious  manner,  his  goods  and 
chattels  were  carted  to  the  Twenty  -  Second  street  depot, 
where  they  were  deposited  in  a  freight  car,  of  either  the 
Illinois  or  Michigan  Central  Railroad,  and  are,  before  this 
time,  far  away.  As  a  master-stroke  of  economy,  the  Super- 
intendent detailed  one  of  the  patrolmen  from  the  Second 
Precinct  station,  to  assist  in  the  removal  of  his  goods.  On 
yesterday,  rag-pickers  were  poking  about  the  yard.  No.  97  ; 
but  they  found  nothing.  Our  Superintendent  is  a  careful 
man,  and  permits  nothing  to  go  to  waste.  Where  he  will  go 
when  he  delivers  up  his  star  of  authority,  no  mortal  knows, 
but  there  is  a  good  army  whose  prayers,  could  they  be  of 
avail,  would  certainly  place  one  or  two  oceans  between 
Elmer  and  Chicago." 

As  regards  error  No.  2  :  In  the  fog  succeeding  the  Great 
Fire,  the  organization  known  as  a  Committee  of  Seventy 
sprung  into  an  active  existence.  Contemporaneously,  a 
Committee  of  Safety  was  working  energetically,  whose 
creation  was  suggested  as  a  matter  of  vigilance  regard- 
ing the  frequent  commission  of  crime  in  those  days. 
Those  Committees  should  not  be  confounded.  Among 
the  members  of  said  organization  of  Seventy  were,  on 
the  outset,  and  for  some  time  in  fact,  several  very  worthy 
gentlemen.  It  was  a  prominent  attraction  for  a  time.  It 
then  retired  from  the  public  gaze.  After  an  interval,  how- 
ever, what  was  left  of  it  besought  the  Mayor  to  enforce  the 
liquor  ordinance,  the  most  objectionable  features  of  which 
come  under  the  head  of  "  Misdemeanors,"  in  the  records  of 
the    Common    Council.       To  the  prayer  of  the  petitioners, 


24 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION 


Mayor  Medill  finally  acceded,  and  issued  an  order  for  the 
enforcement  of  the  Sunday  ordinance.  The  measure'  of 
Germ  an- American  indignation,  at  this  juncture,  was  full  to 
over-flowing.  A  committee  of  this  element  of  our  popula- 
tion, appointed  by  a  mass-meeting,  called  upon  his  Honor, 
the  Mayor,  and  assured  him  that  the  law  was  too  strin- 
gent ;  but  without  avail. 

The  opposition,  while  quite  universal  among  the  deal- 
ers—  who  considered  the  order  most  oppressive  —  was  most 
spirited  from  this  quarter,  as  the  custom  among  the  German 
people  had  become  sacred  to  sit  beneath  the  umbrage  of 
some  spreading  arbor,  of  a  Sunday,  and  sip  in  harmony  the 
flowing  nectar.  It  was  a  custom  those  people  had  trans- 
planted from  the  Fatherland. 

The  movement  was  denounced  by  the  German- Ameri- 
can element  everywhere,  as  a  blow  aimed  directly  at 
their  liberties  guaranteed  by  the  Constitution  of  the  coun- 
try and  the  State  ;  in  fact,  they  regarded  it  as  an  effort 
to  enthrone  detested  Know  -  Nothingism  in  the  midst  of 
American  citizens  of  foreign  nativity.  Indignation  meet- 
ings followed  in  quick  succession  throughout  the  entire 
city.  The  commingling  of  the  religious  element  with  poli- 
tics was  particularly  nauseating,  inasmuch  as  it  even  fore- 
shadowed to  them  the  possible  loss  of  freedom  of  con- 
science. 

The  first  shot  fired  was  heard  in  the  Seventeenth  Ward. 
At  this  meetmg,  an  invitation  to  co-operate  was  extended  to 
all  liberal  elements  of  all  parties  and  nationalities  prone  to 
combat  an  attempt  to  destroy  personal  liberty.      A   great 


THE    PEOPLE  S    PARTY.  25 

German  mass-meeting  followed  at  Aurora  Turner  Hall,  on 
Milwaukee  Avenue.  Mr.  A.  C.  Hesing,  on  this  occasion, 
instructed  his  hearers  that  they  must  assure  their  fellow 
citizens  that  they  were  for  good  order  every  day,  as  they 
were. 

From  this  point  forward,  the  Liberal  movement  steadily 
advanced.  At  the  meetings  in  the  several  wards,  delegates 
were  appointed  upon  whom  the  Union  could  implicitly  rely. 
Those  gentlemen  met  in  Bismarck  Hall,  and  appointed  an 
Agitation  Committee.  This  Committee  prepared  an  Address, 
from  which  the  following  extracts  are  selected  :  "A  govern- 
ment that  rests  on  material  force  alone,  and  adopts  coercive 
measures  to  compel  the  people  to  follow  a  certain  line  of 
conduct,  must  always  be  a  tyranny,  whatever  form  it  as- 
sumes." "The  question  *  *  *  *  is  that  concerning  the 
renewed  attempts  to  enforce  certain  laws  which,  for  some 
time,  had  been  obsolete ;  and  to  lend  assistance  to  their 
sanctioning  power  by  additional  legislation,  and  which,  for 
the  sake  of  brevity,  is  familiarly  styled  the  Temperance  and 
Sunday  Laws." 

To  the  Address  were  appended  resolutions  pressing  a 
thorough  reform  of  the  Civil  Service ;  advocating  economy ; 
urging  the  establishment  of  more  schools,  with  competent 
teachers,  as  a  preventative  of  crime ;  denouncing  arrests 
where  a  summons  would  answer ;  placing  police  duty  in  its 
proper  channel ;  recognizing  the  right  of  the  citizen  to  pass 
the  Sunday  in  his  own  way,  provided  he  did  not  interfere 
with  the  choice  of  any  other  person;  recommending  tem- 
perance in   all   things,   and  a  reasonable  regulation  of  the 


26  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

liquor  business,  such  as  the  appointment  of  inspectors,  and 
the  fining  of  dealers  in  impure  stuffs ;  and  demanding  that 
drunkards  be  held  strictly  accountable  as  well  for  their  acts 
committed  while  drunk,  as  for  committing  the  act  of  getting 
drunk. 

The  principles  embodied  in  the  foregoing  mainly  consti- 
tuted the  platform  adopted  at  the  great  mass-meeting  in 
Kingsbury  Hall.  Cemented  by  those  principles,  the  great 
legion  of  foreign-born  Americans,  with  a  very  fair  sprinkling 
of  native-born  Americans,  marched  to  an  overwhelming 
triumph,  under  the  banner  of  the  People's  Party,  November 

4,  1873- 

The  enforcement  of  the  obnoxious  Sunday  ordinance 
came  within  the  province  of  the  Board  of  Police  and  Fire 
Commissioners ;  as  also  did  the  manner  in  which  Superin- 
tendent of  Police  Washburn  would  enforce  said  ordinance. 

Particulars  concerning  the  same  have  been  carefully  taken 
from  the  proceedings  of  the  Board ;  all  of  which  have  been 
classified  under  the  head,  ''  Medill  —  Washburn  —  Sheri- 
dan," as  those  three  gentlemen  represented  the  two  sides  to 
this  matter— in  fact,  it  may  be  added,  the  two  sides  to 
various  other  matters.  So  many  changes  have  taken  place 
in  the  Board  that  the  writer  deemed  fit  to  go  as  far  back  as 
the  inauguration  of  the  Fire-proof  Ticket.  Incidents  illus- 
trative of  Mr.  Washburn's  conduct,  otherwise,  are  contained 
therein. 


MEDILL  — WASHBURN  — SHERIDAN. 


Mancel  Talcott  and  Jacob  Rehm  joined  Mr.  Sheridan  as 
Police    Commissioners  with  the  success  of  the    Fire-proof 
Ticket.     Talcott's  entry  was  imposing.     His  brow  was  fur- 
rowed with  great  thoughts  apparently,  and  his  lips  were  set 
expressive  of  marvelous  intention.     The  advance  of  Rehm 
was  much  less  pretentious.     He  walked  into  the  Board  room 
like  any  ordinary  individual,  and  took  his  seat  beside  Mr. 
Sheridan  without  the  least  suggestion  of  importance.       Mr. 
Talcott  was  elected  President  of  the  Board  at  once.     For 
some  time,  all  was  harmony.     The  Board  of  Police,  con- 
trolling the  two  great  arms  of  the  city  government,—  the 
Police    and    Fire  Departments,— became    immediately   the 
cynosure  of  the  public  eye.     The  necessity  of  a  good  Fire 
Department  was  uppermost  in  the  pubHc  mind  as  a  natural 
result  of  the  experience  of  the  great  fire.     The  skeleton  of 
perished  life  and  property  rose  up  before  all  citizens  alike, 
and  pointed  to  a  future  when  the  grim  ordeal  of  October  9, 
1871,  might  easily  be  repeated.     It  was  the  necessity  of  the 
hour,  in  accordance  with  the  platform  of  the  Fire-proof  Party, 
that  the  Board  should  enforce  with  rigor  every  ordinance 


28  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

enacted  by  the  Council  for  protection  against  fire.     This  the 
Board  scrupulously  did. 

In  the  spring  of  1872,  Mr.  Rehm  resigning,  the  Mayor 
appointed  in  his  place  Ernest  F.  C.  Klokke.  The  Board 
was  now  composed  of  Messrs.  Talcott,  Sheridan  and  Klokke. 
About  this  juncture,  the  President  of  the  Board,  inflated,  it 
would  appear,  by  complimentary  notices  from  the  Press,  fell 
into  the  error  of  supposing  that  Talcott  constituted  the 
Board  of  Police,  and  that  his  colleagues  were  merely  spec- 
tators, as  it  were.  He  would  fain  be  Dictator.  Such  action 
on  the  part  of  Mr.  Talcott  necessarily  fastened  upon  him 
the  eye  of  the  Press.  Hence  he  derived  great  titles  : 
"Grand  Sachem,"  "  Papa  Talcott,"  "Mr.  Oldtalcott,"  and 
so-forth.  His  reign  subsequently  was  one  series  of  strange 
movements.  When  he  withdrew  from  the  Board,  however, 
he  brought  with  him  the  warmest  personal  friendship  of  his 
colleagues. 

Upon  the  inauguration  of  Mr.  Klokke,  the  first  matter  of 
importance  that  arose  was  the  removal  by  the  Mayor  of 
Superintendent  of  Police  Kennedy.  This  occurred  on 
July  29,  1872.  On  August  13,  1872,  Elmer  Washburn  suc- 
ceeded. Mr.  Washburn  was  not  a  resident  of  Chicago ; 
knew  nothing  of  its  ways,  wicked  or  otherwise,  it  appears; 
could  not  point  out  the  haunts  of  her  evil-doers ;  indeed, 
his  only  qualification  to  rule  a  police  force  was  the  result  of 
his  experience  in  Joliet  State  Penitentiary,  attending  to 
convicts.  The  moment  Mr.  Kennedy  was  removed,  specu- 
lation became  rife  as  to  his  successor.  It  was  presumed 
that  Mr.  Medill,  with  his  great  good  sense,  would  select,  if 


MEDILL WASHBURN SHERIDAN.  29 

not  an  officer  from  the  police  force,  at  least  a  man  conver- 
sant with  Chicago  criminal  life,  and  the  way  in  which  to 
deal  therewith.  Mr.  Medill  pursued  exactly  the  different 
course,  however,  and  proceeded  to  Joliet  State  Prison  to 
find  a  man  competent  to  act  as  Superintendent  of  Police  of 
the  great  city  of  Chicago.  This  may  be  set  down  as  the 
first  grave  mistake  of  the  Medillian  administration.  The 
act,  it  cannot  be  disputed,  caused  general  mortification 
among  Mr.  Medill's  warmest  friends.  What  policy  actu- 
ated the  Mayor  in  his  action  it  is  impossible  to  conceive. 
It  was  certainly  a  most  discouraging  affair  to  the  police 
force  thus  made  hopeless  of  deserved  promotion  ;  and  the 
marvel  is  that  it  did  not  totally  demoralize  them.  The  con- 
sequence hereof  would  be  terrible,  at  the  time,  when  crimi- 
nals were  flocking  in  by  scores  from  all  parts  of  the  country, 
and  murders  were  being  ^attempted  and  committed  in  al- 
most every  district  of  the  city. 

The  necessities  of  the  hour  at  this  particular  period  of 
Chicago's  history  could  not  be  overlooked.  It  appeared 
evident  to  our  best  citizens  that  all  must  act  to  protect 
themselves  and  their  homes  from  concerted  outrage  at  the 
hands  of  cut-throats. 

A  meeting  was  held  on  September  12,  1872,  in  the  Cham- 
ber of  Commerce,  on  Market  street.  The  purpose  of  the 
convention  was  the  repression  of  crime  which,  with  the 
resurrection  of  the  city,  had  assumed  gigantic  proportions. 
Henry  Greenebaum  presided.  Three  committees  were 
appointed  for  the  three  divisions,  and  comprised  twenty- 
five  leading  citizens.     On  September  30th,  another  meeting 


3° 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


was  held,  called  by  the  Committee  of  Seventy,  then  existing 
for  some  time,  in  the  interest  of  temperance.  Police  Com- 
missioner Talcott  was  present,  and  stated  that  nine-tenths 
of  the  crime  was  induced  by  drunkenness,  and  advocated 
the  enforcement  of  the  law  closing  saloons  on  the  Sabbath. 
To  reach  this  result,  a  Committee  of  Fifteen  was  sent  to 
Mayor  Medill. 

This  gentleman  told  the  committee  that  the  movement 
was  rather  impracticable;  the  law  could  not  be  enforced. 
The  Mayor's  address  on  this  occasion  was  substantially  as 
follows  : 

"After  referring  to  the  demand  that  the  saloons  be  closed 
on  Sunday,  His  Honor  inquired  if  this  meant  that  therein 
all  drinking  should  be  prevented,  or  that  to  outward  appear- 
ances no  liquor  must  be  consumed  therein.  The  demand 
clearly  stated  was  this  :  that  the  Mayor  is  commanded  to 
prevent  the  masses  of  the  people  of  Chicago  from  drinking 
liquor  on  Sunday  in  places  licensed  to  supply  them  on  the 
other  six  days  of  the  week.  Could  this  be  done  with  the 
insignificant  police  force.?  It  appeared  to  be  thought  that  the 
saloons  had  been  recently  opened  on  that  day,  when,  in  fact, 
they  had  never  ceased  to  furnish  liquor  on  any  Sunday  since 
the  incorporation  of  the  city,  more  than  thirty  years  ago. 
Efforts  had  been  made  by  preceding  Mayors  to  prevent  the 
practice;  but  the  most  that  was  ever  accomplished  —  and 
that  for  a  short  time  only  —  was  to  force  the  keepers  to  pull 
down  their  blinds  and  shut  their  front  doors  while  the  drink- 
ing went  on.  The  hotels  closed  their  bars,  and  the  waiters 
supplied  the  guests  at  their  rooms.    To  this  extent  he  thought 


MEt)ILL WASHBURN SHERIDAN.  31 

the  Sunday  ordinance  could  be  enforced,  but  it  was  ques- 
tionable if  any  less  liquor  would  be  consumed.  He  was  will- 
ing to  issue  an  order  to  the  police  to  close  the  saloons  on 
Sunday,  but  could  not  give  any  assurance  that  drinking 
would  be  stopped.  In  no  city  like  Chicago,  with  a  mixed 
population,  had  the  attempt  ever  succeeded.  His  Honor 
proceeded  into  a  careful  consideration  of  the  matter  to 
prove  the  strength  of  his  position.  He  asked  the  Committee 
how  could  the  police  prove  that  liquor  was  being  drunk  on 
the  premises,  with  the  street  door  locked  and  the  windows 
shaded .''  Should  they  be  orded  to  break  in  the  doors  and 
smash  the  windows  on  suspicion  }  Or  should  they  put  on 
citizen's  clothes,  slip  around  through  the  alley  to  the  kitchen, 
and  sneak  in,  call  for  liquor,  and  drink  it  1  Or  was  it 
expected  that  he  himself  should  do  it }  It  could  not  be  done 
in  Chic3,go.  Again,  while  the  ordinance  forbade  the  saloon 
keepers  to  sell  liquor  on  Sunday,  it  did  not  forbid  the  citi- 
zen to  buy  from  him  on  Sunday  and  drink.  There  was  no 
penalty  for  purchasing  and  imbibing,  and  it  was  hard  to  con- 
vince the  dealers  that  it  was  wrong  to  sell  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week,  when  it  was  legal  for  anybody  to  purchase  and 
drink  it  on  that  day.  His  Honor  very  sensibly  remarked 
that  to  stop  liquor  drinking  would  require  the  aid  of  one 
teetotaler  policeman  to  be  stationed  in  every  saloon,  billiard 
hall,  house  of  ill-fame  and  tavern*  in  Chicago  —  say  3,000  in 
all.  The  tax-fighters  made  it  hard  work  to  support  450 
policemen ;  and  most  of  the  force  sympathized  with  the 
saloons,  and  he  had  no  power  to  discharge  them.  He  had 
repeatedly  made   known    to    members    of  the   Temperance 


-.r,  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

Organization  that  he  would  revoke  any  saloon  keeper's  license 
who  was  convicted  before  a  magistrate  of  selling  on  Sunday. 
Any  citizen  knowing  it  to  be  done  had  thclegal  right  to  com- 
plain before  any  Justice  of  the  Peace  in  Chicago,  and  make 
proof  and  have  the  keeper  fined.  His  Honor  closed  his 
address  by  saying  to  the  Committee  that  if  their  meeting 
supposed  that  drinking  ought  be  freely  indulged  on  six  days 
of  the  week,  and  could  be  suppressed  on  the  recurring 
seventh,  they  had  studied  human  nature  to  little  purpose,  and 
had  their  first  lessons  yet  to  learn." 

On  October  8,  the  committee  published  a  reply,  accus- 
ing the  executive  department  of  the  city  with  cowardice. 
From  the  reply  the  following  extract  is  taken  :  "  All  the 
facts  go  to  show  that  whenever  an  honest  endeavor  has  been 
put  forth  to  enforce  the  Sunday  liquor  law,  it  has  been  suc- 
cessful. The  difficulty  lies  in  this,  that  the  liquor  interest  in 
our  city  is  active  and  united,  and  exerts  a  controlling  influ- 
ence in  the  nominating  caucuses  and  conventions.  The  re- 
sult is,  we  have  executive  officers  chosen  by  their  votes  who 
have  not  the  conscience  nor  the  moral  courage  to  do  right, 
and  rather  violate  their  oaths  of  office  than  to  offend  the  vot- 
ing power  of  the  saloons,  to  which  they  owe  their  elections." 

The  report  was  signed  by  C.  H.  Fowler,  Abbott  E.  Kit- 
tridge  and  Philip  Meyers,  "  by  order  of  the  Citizens'  Com- 
mittee." 

On  October  lo,  Mayor  Medill,  in  a  conversation,  claimed 
that  the  reply  of  the  Committee  was  very  unfair,  and  referred 
to  the  fact  that  they  were  quick  at  seeing  the  mote  in  other 
people's  eyes;  they  should  cast  the  beam  out  of  their  own. 


MEDILL WASHBURN SHERIDAN.  33 

The  Wasliingtonian  and  Father  Matthews'  Associations 
never  resorted  to  the  constabulary,  to  prevent  men,  by  ani- 
mal process,  from  drinking,  but  appealed  to  the  mind  and 
conscience ;  and  their  success  was  wonderful. 

On  the  same  day,  the  Committee  had  an  interview  with 
the  Police  Commissioners.  Talcott  favored  prohibition. 
Klokke  objected  to  extreme  measures,  as  unadvisable;  con- 
sidering the  enforcement  of  the  ordinance  impracticable. 
Sheridan  was  not  present. 

On  the  same  day,  Mayor  Medill,  having  evidently  weak- 
ened, sent  the  following  communication  to  the  Board  of 
Police : 

Board  of  Police  Commissioners. 

Gentlemen  :  I  was  waited  upon  last  week  by  a  committee 
of  clergy  and  laity,  who  presented  some  resolutions  adopted 
by  a  public  meeting,  asking  that  the  saloons  be  closed  on 
Sunday,  and  the  ordinance  on  that  subject  be  enforced.  In 
the  general  conversation  that  followed,  I  expressed  a  perfect 
willingness  to  undertake  to  do  whatever  was  practicable  in 
the  premises,  but  also  some  doubts  whether  with  the  small 
police  force  at  comma^nd,  liquor-drinking  on  the  first  day  of 
the  week  could  be  effectually  prevented  in  the  city.  I  asked 
for  the  active  support  and  assistance  of  those  whom  they 
represented  in  making  complaints  before  the  magistrates, 
in  helping  to  procure  evidence  against  those  who  violate 
the  ordinance.  But  the  proposition  was  coldly  received  and 
cynically  disposed  of.  I  was  unable  to  procure  any  promise 
of  efficient  aid,  whether  moral,  religious,  legal,  or  physical ; 
3 


34 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


their  business  seemed  to  be  censure,  but  not  to  encourage, 
or  support  the  authorities.  I  observe  in  the  partial  report 
of  the  interview  by  their  sub-committee,  that  they  waited  on 
your  Board  and  obtained  more  encouragement  as  to  the 
practicability  of  enforcing  the  ordinance.  They  say  (extract 
from  newspaper) :  "On  the  contrary,  the  Commissioners  and 
Superintendent  of  Police  upon  whom  the  Committee  also 
called  the  same  day,  declared  themselves  ready  to  enforce 
such  an  order  when  issued  by  the  Mayor,  and  they  antici- 
pated no  serious  trouble  in  doing  so." 

I  am  happy  to  learn  that  you  anticipate  no  difficulty  in 
stopping  liquor.-drinking  in  the  saloons  on  Sunday,  if  an 
order  is  issued  by  the  Mayor  to  that  effect. 

I  therefore  and  hereby  issue  said  order,  and  ask  your 
Board  to  enforce  Section  4,  of  Chapter  25,  of  the  City  Or- 
dinances, and  all  other  ordinances  relating  thereto. 

Joseph  Medill,  Mayor. 

It  may  be  well  to  state  that  no  official  information  was 
given  to  His  Honor  as  to  the  attitude  of  the  Board. 

On  October  25,  there  was  issued,  by  the  Cornmittee  of 
Seventy,  an  "Address  to  the  People,"  in  which  the  closing 
of  saloons  Sundays  was  advocated.  On  October  26,  the 
Mayor  received  a  committee  of  Germans,  who  went  away 
satisfied  with  his  position.  On  October  28,  a  portion  of  the 
Committee  of  Twenty-Five  met,  and  committed  itself  to  the 
Sunday  law ;  whereupon  Mr.  Greenebaum  resigned  his  posi- 
tion.    Mr.  Hesing  also  abandoned  the  organization. 

The  best  epitaph  that  could  be  written  on  the  tombstone  of 


MEDILL — WASHBURN SHERIDAN.  35 

the  Committee  of  Seventy  is  contained  in  the  following  con- 
clusion of  the  Tf-ibime's  article :  "  The  Committee  of  Sev- 
enty SOON  ABSORBED  THE  SMALLER  ORGANIZATIONS.  It  PUT 
A  TICKET  IN  THE  FIELD  LAST  YEAR,  BUT  ITS  FIRST  VENTURE  IN 
POLITICS  WAS  NOT  ENCOURAGING.  DURING  THE  WINTER  IT 
WAS  dormant;  but  some  THREE  MONTHS  SINCE,  IT  SMELT 
THE  BATTLE  AFAR  OFF,  AND  CAME  OUT  OF  ITS  WINTER'S 
QUARTERS.  Jt  PROCEEDED  TO  ORGANIZE  THE  RECENT  CAM- 
PAIGN,    IN      WHICH     IT     MET      WITH     A     CRUSHING     REVERSE. 

Hereafter,.  IT  will  be  remembered  in  the  history  of 

LOCAL  POLITICS  FOR  GOOD  INTENTIONS,  FOR  MISERABLE 
inefficiency  as  a  POLITICAL  ORGANIZATION,  AND  FOR  ITS 
FAILURE  TO  EXECUTE  THE  DESIGN  FOR  WHICH  IT  WAS 
ORGANIZED." 

The  fact  was,  that  the  Committee  of  Seventy  made  a  mis- 
take in  going  into  the  political  business,  and  never  showed 
a  more  illustrious  example  than  when,  in  the  Grand  Pacific, 
they  constructed  that  "  Law  and  Order  Ticket." 

So  much  for  the  Committee  of  Seventy. 

On  December  2d,  1872,  Mr.  Talcott  resigning,  C.  A.  Reno 
was  appointed  to  the  Presidency  of  the  Police  Board.  The 
Board  was  now,  Reno,  Sheridan  and  Klokke.  On  the  in- 
auguration of  Mr.  Reno,  it  became  apparent  that  the  Super- 
intendent of  Police  was  arrogating  too  much,  having  issued 
various  orders  without  its  approval.  It  was  resolved,  there- 
fore, that  all  orders  should  be  submitted  before  issued. 

On  January  25,  1873,  as  an  evidence  of  discontent  among 
the  police,  the  Board  received  a  communication  from  the 
force,  asking  to  be  relieved  from  the  order  issued  by  the 


^6  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

Superintendent,  compelling  them  to  travel  their  beats  for 
twelve  successive  hours.  The  order  impressed  the  Board 
at  once  as  tyrannical  in  the  extreme.  They  accordingly 
ordered  the  Superintendent  to  conform  with  the  established 
practice  of  patrol  duty. 

Now  war  was  declared.  The  Superintendent  failing  to 
comply,  it  was  evident  he  was  acting  under  the  advice  of  the 
Law  Department  concerning  the  power  conferred  by  the 
Mayor's  bill,  and  the  Board  of  Police  seized  the  opportunity 
to  test  the  question  whether  they  had  any  power  at  all.  On 
January  28,  1873,  accordingly,  the  Secretary  of  the  Board 
was  directed  to  present  charges  against  the  Superintendent 
of  Police  for  neglect  of  duty,  incompetency,  disobedience  of 
orders,  in  the  violation  of  the  rules  and  regulations,  by  en- 
forcing unauthorized  orders,  and  annulling  the  orders  of  the 
Board.  Then  Dr.  Ward  was  appointed  Acting  Superin- 
tendent. So  here  was  the  spectacle  of  two  Police  Superin- 
tendents at  one  and  the  same  time,  issuing  orders  of  a  con- 
tradictory nature  to  the  Police  Department. 

The  second  volley  in  the  battle  of  disputed  rights  was 
fired  from  the  Mayor's  office  January  26,  1873.  It  was  a 
communication  from  Mayor  Medill  to  the  Police  Commis- 
sioners, notifying  said  Board  of  the  removal  of  Police  Com- 
missioners Reno  and  Klokke.  The  Board  concurred  in 
refusing  to  recognize  the  authority  of  the  Mayor  in  said 
removal.  They  also  instructed  the  Acting  Superintendent 
to  recognize  no  other  authority  than  the  Board  which  was 
elected  by  the  people,  and  a  majority  of  whom  were  com- 
missioned by  the  Governor. 


MEDILL WASHBURN SHERIDAN.  37 

From  this  date  up  to  February  24,  1873,  no  business  was 
transacted  in  the  Board  rooms. 

On  this  day,  Garble  Mason  and  Levi  P.  Wright,  having 
been  appointed  by  the  Mayor,  presented  certificates.  PoHce 
Commissioner  Sheridan  thereupon  arose  in  the  crowded 
rooms  of  the  Police  Board,  and,  with  unruffled  precision, 
read  the  following  protest : 

"  The  Council  having  confirmed  the  Mayor's  nominees  for 
Police  Commissioners,  and  the  Mayor  and  Comptroller  hav- 
ing refused  to  adjust  the  claims  of  persons  furnishing  sup- 
plies to  the  Police  and  Fire  Departments,  as  well  as  the 
claims  of  the  members  of  said  departments,  until  such  time 
as  some  other  person  more  acceptable  than  Mr.  Reno,  act- 
ing as  President  of  the  Board,  certifies  to  the  correctness  of 
said  claims,  it  becomes  necessary  that  something  be  done  to 
relieve  from  embarrassment  all  those  having  just  claims 
against  the  city.  There  is  no  doubt  in  my  mind  that  the 
Mayor  and  Comptroller  will  recognize  Messrs.  Mason  and 
Wright  as  the  authorized  Commissioners,  and  that,  conse- 
quently, the  business  of  the  departments  may  be  carried  on 
by  them,  whatever  be  the  merits  of  their  claims  as  contest- 
ants for  the  position  of  Police  Commissioners.  /  am  Police 
Commissioner^  and  cannot,  if  I  would,  neglect  the  duties  of 
my  office  with  impunity.  /  must  act,  and  it  becomes  my 
duty  to  act  effectively  ;  and,  in  order  to  do  so,  I  am  con- 
strained by  the  action  of  the  Mayor  and  Comptroller  to  act 
with  Messrs.  .Mason  and  Wright,  but  I  do  so  only  to  advance 
the  interests  of  the  city,  and  maintain  the  discipline  and  effi- 
ciency of  the  Police  and  Fire  Departments,  and  not  because 


^8  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

I  have  any  doubt  as  to  the  legality  of  the  claims  of  Reno 
and  Klokke ;  and  consequently  I  will  have  to  serve  under 
protest  until  this  conflict  of  authority  shall  be  determined 
by  due  process  of  law.  I  protest,  because  I  am  fully  satis- 
fied that  Commissioners  Reno  and  Klokke,  having  been 
elected  by  the  voters  of  Cook  county  to  the  office  of  Police 
Commissioners,  and  having  qualified  under  that  election, 
were  in  the  lawful  exercise  of  the  functions  of  their  office, 
when  the  Board  suspended  from  duty  Superintendent  Wash- 
burn for  inefficiency,  neglect  of  duty,  insubordination,  and 
conduct  unbecoming  a  police  officer,  and  that,  consequently 
they  were  guilty  of  no  offence  for  which  they  could  be  justly 
or  lawfully  removed  from  office ;  and  because  I  am  also  sat- 
isfied that  the  power  claimed  and  attempted  to  be  exercised 
by  the  Mayor,  under  and  by  virtue  of  the  act  known  as  the 
'  Mayor's  Bill,'  is  contrary  to  the  genius  of  our  republican  in- 
stitutions and  the  spirit  of  our  Constitution,  and,  also,  that 
even  if  the  power  exists,  the  arbitrary,  unjust,  and  unneces- 
sary exercise  of  it  would  not  be  sustained  or  even  tolerated 
by  the  Courts." 

The  first  matter  of  importance  coming  before  the  new 
Board  was  the  dismissal  of  the  charges  against  Washburn, 
February  26,  1873.  On  April  7,  business  commenced  with 
the  removal  by  the  Mayor  of  Sergeants  Douglas,  Macauley, 
Rehm,  and  Bischoff".  Their  offence  consisted  in  obedience 
of  orders  issued  by  the  Board  of  Police. 

Then  followed,  on  April  28,1873,  Order  No.  20,  as  follows: 


medill washburn sheridan.  39 

Office  of  the  Police  Department,  ) 
Chicago,  April  28,  1873.  f 

General  Order  No.  20. 

1.  The  commanding  officers  of  districts  and  precincts 
will  require  their  men  to  enter  frequently  on  Sunday  all 
places  or  rooms  on  their  respective  beats  where  they  have 
any  good  reason  to  suspect  that  intoxicating  drinks  are  sold, 
or  that  cards  or  other  games  of  chance  are  being  played,  for 
the  purpose  of  obtaining  evidence,  if  any  exist,  of  the  vio- 
lation of  the  provisions  of  Section  3,  Chapter  28,  of  the  Re- 
vised Ordinances, of  1873.  And  complaint  shall  be  entered 
in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of  Section  2,  General- 
Order  No.  6,  1873. 

2.  In  all  cases  where  violations  of  the  provisions  of  Sec- 
tion 3,  Chapter  28,  of  the  Revised  Ordinances  of  1873  shall 
occur,  and  it  shall  be  difficult  to  determine  whom  to  sum- 
mon, the  officer  will  demand  that  the  license  be  shown  and 
enter  complaint  against  the  licensee.  If  no  license  is  pro- 
duced, the  officer  will  demand  the  name  and  residence  of 
the  party  or  parties  who  are  tending  the  bar,  if  the  same 
are  unknown  to  him,  and  enter  complaint  against  hmi  or 
them.  If  such  party  or  parties  fail  or  refuse  to  give  their 
name  or  residence,  the  officer  will  arrest  such  party  or  par- 
ties at  once,  take  him  or  them  to  the  lockup,  and  enter 
complaint  for  the  same  offense. 

3.  In  no  case  named  in  this  order  shall  doors,  windows, 
or  fastenings  be  broken  or  forced  to  gain  admission. 

Elmer  Washburn, 

General  Superintendent. 


40  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

The  foregoing  was  the  production,  it  is  supposed,  of  Mayor 
Medill,  Washburn,  and  the  Law  Department.  This  order 
Mr.  Sheridan  opposed  in  his  might.  Finding  it  impossible 
to  convince  the  Mayor  of  its  unwisdom,  the  Commissioner 
entered  the  following  protest :  "  I  protest  because  I  regard 
the  order  as  unnecessary,  odious,  and  oppressive;  because  the 
members  of  the  police  force  are  not  vested  under  the  char- 
ter with  the  power  or  authority  to  lawfully  comply  with  the 
order,  and  if  they  do  comply  with  it,  they  will  have  to  do  so 
at  their  own  peril ;  because  it  is  to  my  mind  clearly  uncon- 
stitutional, Section  6,  Article  2,  of  the  Constitution  being  as 
follows:  'The  right  of  the  people  to  be  secure  in  their  per- 
sons, houses,  papers,  and  effects  against  unreasonable 
searches  and  seizures  shall  not  be  violated.' " 

To  this  iron-clad  remonstrance,  Messrs.  Mason  and 
Wright,onMay  9,  1873,  after.formidable  preparation,  replied 
as  follows  : 

"  Resolved,  That  the  protest  entered  by  one  of  the  Com- 
missioners of  this  Board  in  the  record  of  the  proceedings  of 
the  28th  day  of  April,  1873,  was  so  entered  without  being 
first  presented  to  the  Board,  and  that  we  disapprove  of  the 
language  used  in  said  protest,  as  incendiary  in  character, 
as  tending  to  incite  the  force  to  disobey  the  orders  of  the 
Board,  and  unreflecting  citizens  to  resist  the  police  in  the 
discharge  of  their  duties.  //  is  therefore  ordered  that  here- 
after NO  PROTEST  shall  be  entered  of  record,  unless  the 
same  be  first  submitted  in  writing  to  and  permitted  by  a 
majority  vote  of  this  Board." 


MEDILL WASHBURN — SHERIDAN.  4I 

Mr.   Sheridan's  protest  appeared    in  the  public  journals 
first;  industrious  reporters  having  adroitly  secured  it. 

Following  fast   upon   the  foregoing  resolution  came   the 
following  broadside  from  Mr.  Sheridan: 

"  I  protest  against  the  resolution  passed  by  the  Board  on 
Friday,  because  it  conveys  the  idea  that  my  protest,  entered 
against  general  order  No.  20,  was  surreptitiously  placed  on 
record;  whereas,  the  truth  is,  the  objections  therein  set 
forth  to  said  order  were  frequently  and  urgently  pressed  by 
me,  to  dissuade  both  Messrs.  Mason  and  Wright  from  ap- 
proving the  order;  failing  in  which,  I  told  them  I  could 
not  be  a  party  to  what  I  believed  to  be  an  unlawful  pro- 
ceeding, and  I  should  protest  against  it.  To  which  they 
replied,  '  All  right ;  do  so.  We  would  rather  you  should  do 
so  than  not.'  Next  morning,  I  wrote  the  protest  and  handed 
it  to  the  Secretary.  It  is,  therefore,  a  willful  misstatement  of 
the  facts  in  the  case,  a  malignant  perversion  of  my  language,  a 
deliberate  attempt  to  gag  the  free  expression  of  opinion, 
and  is  itself  the  expression  of  cringing  servility  to  the  will 
of  the  master." 

On  May  13,  an  order  was  passed  requiring  the  arrest  of 
parties  selling,  giving  away,  or  in  any  manner  dealing  m 
any  vinous,  spirituous,  or  fermented  liquors.  Sheridan 
voted  in  the  negative.  On  May  15,  he  entered  his  protest 
against  the  order,  as  unnecessary,  injurious,  and  a  dangerous 
exercise  of  power.  On  July  12,  Capt.  Hickey,  convinced 
that  his  head  was  doomed  under  the  Washburn  regime,  re- 
signed the  police  force. 

July  18,  furnished  an  event  that  cannot  be  passed  over. 


42  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

Mr.  Sheridan,  learning  of  misconduct  on  the  part  of  a 
police  officer,  took  his  star  away  from  him.  The  officer 
complaining  to  Washburn,  had  it  restored  by  the  Superin- 
tendent. Hereupon,  Sheridan  summoned  the  chief  into  his 
presence  on  the  day  referred  to.  The  conversation  upon 
the  subject  was  pretty  bitter,  the  Commissioner  feeling  that 
he  was  insulted  by  a  subordinate,  and  the  Chief  not  recog- 
nizing superiority.  The  result  of  the  meeting  was  that  Mr. 
Washburn  siezed  an  inkstand  to  hurl  at  the  Commissioner's 
head.  Quick  second  thought,  however,  held  the  Superin- 
tendent's arm,  and  he  nervously  replaced  the  missile  on  the 
desk. 

On  July  2  1,  the  Commissioner  preferred  charges  against 
the  Superintendent,  including  the  specification  "ungentle- 
manly  conduct,  and  conduct  unbecoming  a  police  officer." 
On  July  2  2,  the  police  officer,  who  had  his  star  restored,  was 
discharged  by  the  Board,  under  the  evidence. 

On  July  22,  a  communication  was  received  by  the  Board 
from  the  Council,  requesting  an  investigation  of  the  facts 
connected  with  the  charges  preferred  by  the  Milwaukee 
press  against  Washburn.  A  store  had,  it  appears,  been 
robbed  in  Milwaukee,  and  the  thieves  were  tracked  to 
Chicago,  and  arrested  by  Chicago  officers.  The  Milwaukee 
press  charged  that  Washburn  refused  to  give  up  the  property 
recovered,  unless  a  reward  was  forthcoming  for  the  officers 
who  caused  the  arrest.  This  charge  was  denied  by  Mr. 
Washburn,  and  the  Common  Council  subsequently  acquitted 
the  chief. 

The  next  matter  the  public  journals   were    called  upon 


MEDILL WASHBURN SHERIDAN.  43 

to  chronicle,  was  a  communication  from  the  Mayor,  set- 
ting forth  his  desire  that  the  Board  make  a  full  statement 
of  the  facts  in  the  case  between  Sheridan  and  Washburn, 
and  submit  in  writing.  Hereupon,  Messrs.  Mason  and 
Wright  reported  the  opinion  that  it  would  not  be  for  the 
best  interests  of  the  service  to  spread  on  the  record ;  that 
they  believed  they  had  found  upon  investigation  that  the 
provocation  given  by  Mr.  Sheridan  was  so  great  as  to  great- 
ly palliate  the  disrespectful  language,  if  not  to  justify  it. 

Up  to  July  28,  1873,  there  now  seemed  to  be  a  lull  in 
matters  between  the  members  of  the  Board,  the  Mayor,  the 
Police  force,  and  the  world  at  large.  On  this  day,  however, 
Mr.  Sheridan  succeeded  in  introducing  the  following  reso- 
lution,   which  was  passed  : 

^''Be  it  ordered.  That  the  practice  of  sending  police  officers 
in  citizen's  clothes  to  saloons,  for  the  purpose  of  inducing 
the  keepers  thereof  to  sell  intoxicating  drinks  to  such  offi- 
cers, in  violation  of  law,  with  the  view  of  prosecuting  said 
saloon  keepers,  be  at  once  discontinued." 

On  July  29,  1873,  Commissioner  Mason,  having  voted  for 
one  measure  introduced  by  Mr.  Sheridan,  resigned. 

He  was  succeeded  by  Reuben  Cleveland.  The  advent  of 
this  gentleman  was  signalized  by  a  message  from  the  Mayor, 
touching  the  charges  preferred  by  Commissioner  Sheridan 
against  Superintendent  of  Police  Washburn.  The  commu- 
nication set  forth  that  his  Honor,  the  Mayor,  considered 
the  occurrence  as  a  first  offense  on  both  (.?)  sides,  and  as 
a  case  not  calling  for  extreme  measures. 

On   August   4,    nevertheless,    Superintendent   of    Police, 


44 


THR    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


Washburn,  apologized  to  Mr.  Sheridan  on  the  ground  that 
few  men  could  be  milder  under  equal  provocation.  Mr. 
Sheridan  did  not  apologize,  as  another  man  ;;«^///,  under  the 
Mayor's  decision. 

In  the  foregoing  brief  recital  are  contained  the  leading  ele- 
ments in  the  grand  cause  for  a  change  in  municipal  affairs. 
While  the  Press,  eager  to  promote  universal  harmony,  no 
doubt,  generally  favored  the  Medillian  administration,  yet 
the  people  watched  their  interests  keenly,  and  as  certain 
events  in  this  history  plainly  indicate,  subserved  them  by 
the  movement  of  November,  1873.  The  power  of  that 
movement  is  recognized  everywhere  as  having  asserted  itself 
against  the  sentiments  of  every  American  newspaper  in  the 
city  of  Chicago. 


COUNTING  THE  MONEY. 


For  several  weeks  previous  to  the  election,  whispers  were 
gradually  spreading  throughout  the  city,  the  burden  of 
which  was  that,  if  it  only  could  be  inspected,  the  City  Treas- 
ury was  in  a  very  wretched  condition  ;  and  that  the  fact  was 
due  to  the  reckless  speculations  of  the  City  Treasurer,  David 
A.  Gage.  This  gentleman,  being  a  candidate  for  re-election, 
and  being  considered  the  heaviest  card  on  the  "  Law  and 
Order"  ticket,  it  is  not  at  all  marvelous  that  the  speakers  of 
the  People's  Party  gave  the  rumor  as  thorough  ventilation  as 
possible  throughout  the  several  wards. 

To  assist  the  circulation  of  said  rumors,  the  Staats  Zeitung 
caused  to  be  published  in  English  a  great  number  of  circu- 
lars, whence  the  following  extracts  are  taken : 

,  "  It  has  been  publicly  charged  and  not  denied  that  Gage 
has  deposited  the  public  moneys  with  banks  upon  express 
agreements,  that  such  banks  extend  him  credit  to  the  amount 
of  a  certain  proportion  of  such  deposits.  The  name  of  a 
bank  could  be  given,  which  held  a  note  of  Gage's  for  $40,- 
000,  and  to  which  he  offered  $60,000  city  deposits  on  condi- 
tion of  an  extension  being  granted  to  him.     There  is  scarcely 


4.6  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

a  doubt  that  the  dealings  oi  private  citizen  D.  A.  Gage  with 
the  banks  have  been  based  upon  the  city  funds  deposited 
with  them  by  City  Treasurer  D.  A.  Gage.  And  it  is  next  to  a 
certainty  that  if  D.  A.  Gage  should  cease  to  have  control 
over  the  city  deposits,  the  bank  credit  extended  to  him  on 
that  account  would  vanish. 

"Thus  it  will  be  readily  understood  why  D.  A.  Gage  can 
afford  to  shoulder  all  the  expenses  of  the  campaign  of  his 
party,  and  offer  to  pay  the  expenses  of  the  People  s  Party,  if 
they  should  nominate  him  for  City  Treasurer  and  Dan 
O'Hara  for  County  Treasurer.  It  is,  with  him,  a  matter  of 
life  or  death.  But  the  weakest  minded  man  must  be  able  to 
see  that,  if  a  candidate  spends  $25,000  in  order  to  obtain  an 
office  with  a  salary  of  only  $4,000,  there  must  be  considera- 
bly more  in  that  office  than  the  salary. 

"  As  to  the  means  employed,  apart  from  a  direct  expendi- 
ture of  money  to  buy  up  votes,  the  following  affidavit  of  Mr. 
A.  C.  Hesing  tells  the  tale: 

"A.  C.  Hesing,  being  duly  sworn,  deposeth  as  follows: 
"That  on  or  about  Wednesday,  the  15th  of  October,  he 
was  invited  to  see  a  prominent  lawyer  in  H.  H.  Honore's 
block ;  that  he  went  and  saw  that  lawyer,  and  that  there  and 
then  the  proposition  was  made  to  him  to  use  his  influence  to 
secure  the  nomination  of  David  A.  Gage  by  the  People's 
Party  for  the  office  of  City  Treasurer,  and  of  Daniel  O'Hara 
for  County  Treasurer,  in  consideration  of  which  said  David 
A.  Gage  would  give  to  the  deponent,  A.  C.  Hesing,  the  con- 
trol, for  two  years,  of  one-fifth  part  of  the  city  deposits  j  that 
said  proposition  was  instantly  rejected  by  said  deponent ; 


COUNTING    THE    MONEY.  47 

that,  on  the  Saturday  following,  the  same  prominent  lawyer 
met  the  deponent,  A.  C.  Hesing,  in  the  sample  room  of  Her- 
mann Fink,  in  the  S/aaJs  Zeitufig  building,  in  company  with 
two  other  gentlemen,  and  engaged  with  them  in  conversation 
upon  a  certain  article  published  in  the  Staats  Zeitung  under 
the  heading,  "A  few  simple  questions."  That  in  the  course 
of  such  conversation  said  lawyer  remarked  that  that  article 
need  not  necessarily  prevent  the  Staats  Zeitung  from  yet  sup- 
porting D.  A.  Gage;  that,  after  the  two  gentlemen  and  said 
lawyer  had  left  the  place,  said  lawyer  returned  in  a  short 
time,  and  stated  to  this  deponent  that  another  newspaper 
had  to  be  ''''seen'"  first,  and  that,  therefore,  if  this  deponent 
was  willing  to  make  arrangements  for  the  support  of  D.  A. 
Gage,  the  consideration  would  have  to  be  reduced  from  one- 
half  to  one-sixth  part  of  the  city  deposits  ;  that  this  deponent 
again  refused  the  offer.  That  on  Sunday  afternoon,  when  this 
deponent  was  stepping  into  his  buggy  in  front  of  Greene- 
baum's  bank  building,  the  said  lawyer  hailed  him,  and,  again 
commencing  to  speak  about  the  offer  theretofore  made  by 
him,  remarked  that  all  the  papers  had  been  "  seen  ;  "  that  from 
and  after  Monday  no  line  would  be  written  in  any  of  the 
English  dailies  against  David  A.  Gage,  and  that  this  depo- 
nent was  foolish  not  to  have  accepted  the  propositions  made 
to  him.  That  then  this  deponent  replied  that  it  was  of  no 
use  to  say  any  more  to  him,  since  he  was  determined  to  work 
with  heart  and  soul  for  the  good  cause  of  the  People's  Party 
and  for  the  defeat  of  a  damnably  corrupt  treasury  ring. 

"  Further  deponent  sayeth  not.         Anthony  C.  Hesing. 

"Sworn  to  before  me  this  ist  day  of  November,  1873. 

Julius  Rosenthal,  Notary  Fublic.'"' 


48  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

The  Opposition  observing  the  immense  loss  their  cause 
was  suffering  by  reason  of  the  insinuations  as  to  the  integrity 
of  the  alleged  best  man  on  their  ticket,  Mr.  David  A.  Gage 
was  induced,  on  October  20,  to  issue  the  following: 

TO  HIS  HONOR,  THE  MAYOR,  AMD  COMMON  COUNCIL. 

Gentlemen  :  As  there  have  been  various  speeches  made 
and  rumors  afloat  detrimental  to  me  as  a  public  officer,  I 
most  respectfully  ask  that  your  body,  through  a  proper  com- 
mittee, would  examine  my  accounts  as  City  Treasurer,  and 
make  an  official  report  of  the  same.     Most  respectfully, 

David  A.  Gage,  Treasurer. 

The  members  of  the  Finance  Committee  were  L.  L.  Bond, 
Chairman;  Mahlon  D.  Ogden,  J.  W.  McGenniss,  J.  H.  Mc- 
Avoy,  and  Geo.  Sherwood.  At  the  investigation  of  the  Com- 
mittee, the  two  last  named  gentlemen  were  not  present. 

In  obedience  to  Mr.  Gage's  request,  an  official  report  was 
made  of  the  Finance  Committee,  as  follows  : 

Chicago,  III.,  Oct.  31,  1873. 
l.  l.  bond,  esq.,  chairman  finance  committee. 

Sir :  In  the  matter  of  the  communication  of  D.  A.  Gage, 
Treasurer,  referred  to  our  committee,  you  are  authorized  to 
report  that  we  find  the  Treasurer's  accounts  correct,  and  the 
cash  in  hand,  so  that  the  city  funds  are  entirely  safe,  and 
the  special  funds  in  the  condition  required  by  law. 

Mahlon  D.  Ogden. 
J.  W.  McGenniss. 

This  report  the  Opposition  used  with  tremendous  ostenta- 
tion, and  with  considerable  success.    While  there  were  many 


COUNTING    THE    MONEY.  49 

who  regarded  the  report  with  grave  misapprehensions, — 
owing  to  the  absence  of  figures  which,  it  is  pretty  well  es- 
tablished, never  lie, —  yet,  the  instrument  was  a  most  advan- 
tageous missile  to  hurl  at  the  heads  of  the  People's  Party. 
In  their  speeches  through  the  city,  the  Opposition  intro- 
duced the  report  at  every  possible  opportunity,  as  illustra- 
tive of  the  base  uses  to  which  the  People's  party  had  come 
at  last,  in  order  to  achieve  the  success  of  their  ticket. 

Had  the  "  Law  and  Order  "  ticket  been  victorious,  there 
is  hardly  any  room  to  doubt  but  that  the  People's  party  were 
capable  of  some  very  mean  business.  In  that  event,  David 
A.Gage  would  be  our  present  City  Treasurer.  Victory  perch- 
ing upon  the  banners  of  the  People's  party,  however,  the 
great  public  obtained  admission  into  the  inmost  recesses  of 
the  treasury,  and  through  the  fingers  of  Daniel  O'Hara,  had 
the  satisfaction  of  seeing  the  money  counted. 

The  first  reliable  intelligence  of  Mr.  Gage's  misfortune  — 
Mayor  Colvin  having  just  taken  his  seat  —  came,  it  would 
appear,  through  Mr.  John  A.  Rice,  one  of  Mr.  Gage's  bonds- 
men. On  the  morning  of  December  15,  this  gentleman  ap- 
proached the  Mayor  elect,  and  informed  him  that  David  A. 
Gage  was  $350,000  (three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dol- 
lars )  short !  and  that,  in  order  to  make  good  this  amount, 
Mr.  Gage  would  turn  over  everything  he  had.  Anxiety 
being  wild  upon  the  topic  from  the  first  moment  the  rumor 
gained  circulation,  the  daily  journals  next  morning,  as  might 
be  expected,  threw  forth  columns  concerning  the  startling 
defalcation.  For  days  afterward,  the  defalcation  was  the 
most  prominent  subject  on  everybody's  tongue.  The 
4 


5° 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


exposure  shocked  the  entire  community,  and  perfectly 
dumbfounded  those  who  had  voted  for  the  ticket  which,  for 
its  success,  depended  ahnost  solely  upon  the  sterling  integ- 
rity of  David  A.  Gage. 

The  first  thought,  when  the  terrible  indignation  of  the 
public  had  given  place  to  reflection,  was,  in  what  manner  the 
gigantic  loss  could  be  repaired.  Now  the  public  eye  was 
turned  upon  Mr.  Gage's  bondsmen.  But  the  bondsmen,  it 
was  said,  claimed  they  were  not  altogether  responsible,  from 
the  fact  that  shortly  after  the  Medillian  administration  went 
into  power,  it  was  discovered  that  Mr.  Gage  was  then  short 
to  the  extent  of  some  $200,000,  and  that  the  city  officials, 
or  some  of  them,  knew  it.  The  bondsmen,  it  seems,  claimed 
that  they  should  not  be  held  for  any  deficiency  previous  to 
their  bond  being  filed. 

Whether  the  bondsmen  presumed  too  much,  nevertheless, 
was  susceptible  of  a  test.  The  legal  advisers  of  the  city, 
accordingly,  filed  a  praecipe  in  a  plea  of  debt  on  December 
.24,  placed  damages  at  $1,000,000,  and  made  the  following 
bondsmen  of  Mr.  Gage  parties  defendant :  David  A.  Gage, 
William  F.  Tucker,  Albert  Crosby,  John  B.  Sherman,  James 
H.  McVicker,  Nathaniel  P.  Wilder,  John  A.  Rice,  and 
George  W.  Gage. 

On  December  26,  Treasurer  O'Hara,  pursuant  to  instruc- 
tions, wrote  the  following  demand  upon  the  Ex-  City  Treas- 
urer : 

"David  A.  Gage,  Esq., 

Sir: — Agreeably  to  the  instructions  of  the  law  advisers 
of  the  city,  and  as  your  successor  in  office,  I  am  requested 


COUNTING    THE    MONEY.  5  I 

to  demand  of  you  the  deficit  of  money  belonging  to  the  City 
Treasury,  amounting  to  $507,703.58. 

I  am  very  respectfully  your  obedient  servant, 

Daniel  O'Hara,  City  Treasurer.'" 

In  the  meantime  conferences  were  being  held  by  the  bonds- 
men of  Mr.  Gage,  and  his  friends.  At  these  meetings  various 
propositions  were  agitated.  The  result  was  that,  on  Decem- 
ber 30,  a  formal  conveyance  of  a  trust  deed  of  Mr.  Gage's 
property  was  made  to  Mr.  George  Taylor.  This  action 
served  in  a  measure  to  allay  public  excitement,  which  had 
waxed  the  more  intense  under  the  pressure  of  the  bank 
panic,  and  the  condition  of  the  vast  army  of  unemployed 
in  the  city. 

But  there  was  another  matter  in  connection  with  the  sit- 
uation of  Mr.  Gage.  It  was  charged  against  him  that  he 
was  guilty  of  perjury.  The  following  oath,  required  to  be 
taken  by  the  City  Treasurer,  formed  the  basis  of  the  accu- 
sation : 

"  I,  D.  A.  Gage,  City  Treasurer,  being  duly  sworn  upon 
oath,  say  that  the  foregoing  statement,  so  far  ks  I  know,  or 
have  reason  to  believe,  is  a  fair,  accurate  and  full  statement 
of  the  matters  to  which  it  relates,  and  of  all  moneys  in  my 
hands  which  I,  or  any  one  for  me,  has  received  since  my  last 
official  account  was  rendered ;  and  that  I  have  not  directly 
or  indirectly  used,  loaned,  invested  or  converted  to  my  own 
use,  or  suffered  any  one  to  use,  loan,  invest  or  convert  to  his 
or  their  own  use,  any  of  the  public  moneys  receivable  or 
received  by  me  or  subject  to  my  warrant  or  control,  and 


52 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


that  I  have  rendered  true  and  full  account  thereof  in  my 
said  foregoing  statement,  and  further  saith  not. 

D.  A.  Gage. 
Sworn,  etc.,  Frank  Barrett, 

Notary  Public ." 

It  having  been  known  that  if  Mr.  Gage  had  committed 
perjury  at  all  he  had  committed  it  repeatedly  —  for  it  was 
required  that  the  oath  should  be  taken  every  month  —  it  evi- 
dently became  the  duty  of  the  State's  Attorney  to  step  in. 
He  did  so. 

On  January  2,  1874,  State's  Attorney  Charles  H.  Reed 
sent  the  following  to  the  City  Treasurer : 

"  Daniel  O'Hara,  Esq.,  City  Treasurer. 

My  Dear  Friend j —  It  is  reported  that  David  A.  Gage, 
the  late  City  Treasurer,  has  failed  to  pay  over  to  you,  as  his 
successor,  large  sums  of  money  belonging  to  the  city  of  Chi- 
cago. In  view  of  proceedings  being  about  to  be  instituted 
against  him  for  such  failure  to  pay  over  to  you  said  sums  of 
money,  I  hereby  request  you  to  forthwith  make  a  formal 
written  demand  on  said  Gage  to  pay  over  to  you  said  sums 
of  money.  I  desire  this  to  be  done  by  you  under  and  by 
virtue  of  Section  16,  page  179,  of  the  Statutes  of  Illinois, 
Gross'  Ed.,  1871.  Please  make  the  demand  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  that  you  can  testify  thereto  under  oath.  The  demand 
should  be  made  by  you  officially  and  in  person. 

Respectfully  yours,  Charles  H.  Reed." 

In  compliance  with  instructions  Mr.  O'Hara  visited  Mr. 
Gage,  and  Mr.  Gage  did  not  turn  over  as  requested. 


COUNTING    THE    MONEY.  53 

State's  Attorney  Reed  forthwith  proceeded  to  the  work  of 
empaneling  a  Grand  Jury.  That  body  was  in  existence  on 
January  6. 

On  January  7  the  said  Grand  Jury  indicted  David  A. 
Gage  for  failing  to  pay  over  the  money  entrusted  to  him, 
and  also  for  false  swearing. 

On  January  8,  Mr.  Gage  was  arraigned  in  the  Criminal 
Court,  and  his  bail  was  fixed  at  $100,000  on  the  former 
charge,  and  $10,000  on  the  latter. 

Subsequently  the  indictment  for  false  swearing  was  quashed 
on  technical  grounds;  and  that  for  failing,  etc.,  was  sustained. 
On  this  indictment  Mr.  Gage  has  obtained  a  chance  of  venue 
to  Lake  county.  The  State's  Attorney,  moreover,  succeeded 
in  having  the  following  additional  indictment  returned, 
which  is  still  pending : 

Of  the  February  term  of  the  Criminal  Court  of  Cook 
County,  in  said  county  and  State,  in  the  year  of  our  Lord 
1874 

The  Grand  Jurors,  chosen,  selected,  and  sworn,  in  and  for 
the  county  of  Cook,  in  the  State  of  Illinois,  in  the  name  and 
by  the  authority  of  the  People  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  upon 
their  oaths  present  that  David  A.  Gage,  late  of  the  county 
of  Cook,  on  the  6th  day  of  December,  in  the  year  of  our 
Lord  1873,  in  said  county  of  Cook,  in  the  State  of  Illinois 
aforesaid,  was  the  Treasurer  of  the  city  of  Chicago,  in  said 
county  and  State,  and  that  he,  the  said  Gage,  had  been  and 
was  the  Treasurer  of  said  city  for  and  during  the  period  of 
one  year  and  more  immediately  before  and  prior  to  the  said 
6th  day  of  December ;  and,  that  he,  the  said  Gage,  as  such 


54  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

Treasurer,  during  the  period  aforesaid  was  required  by  law, 
at  the  end  of  each  and  every  month  to  render  to  the  Comp- 
troller of  said  city  an  account  under  the  oath  of  him,  the 
said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  showing  the  state  of  the  treas- 
ury of  said  city  at  the  date  of  each  of  said  accounts,  and 
the  balance  of  money  in  said  treasury  at  the  date  of  each  of 
said  accounts,  and  a  fair,  accurate,  and  full  statement  of  all 
moneys  in  the  hands  of  him,  the  said  Gage,  as  such  Treas- 
urer, at  the  date  of  each  of  said  accounts ;  and  that  he,  the 
said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  was,  during  the  period  afore- 
said, at  the  end  of  each  and  every  month,  and  oftener  if  re- 
quired, required  by  law  to  attach  said  oath  to  each  of  said 
accounts,  and  to  render,  present,  and  deliver  said  accounts 
and  oaths  thereto  attached  to  the  said  Comptroller;  and 
that  he,  the  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  was  required  by 
law  to  render  to  said  Comptroller  at  the  end  of  the  month 
of  November,  in  the  year  last  aforesaid,  an  account  under 
the  oath  of  him,  the  said  Gage,  attached  to  said  account, 
showing  the  state  of  the  treasury  of  said  city  at  the  date  of 
such  account,  and  the  balance  of  moneys  in  said  treasury  at 
the  date  of  such  last-mentioned  account,  and  a  fair,  accurate, 
and  full  statement  of  all  moneys  in  the  hands  of  him,  the 
said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  at  the  date  of  the  said  last 
mentioned  account ;  and  that  he,  the  said  Gage,  by  his  own 
fault  and  neglect,  failed  to  render  to  said  Comptroller  the 
account  last  aforesaid  at  the  end  of  the  month  of  November 
last  aforesaid. 

And  that  the  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  was  required 
by  law  to  render  the  said  last  named  account  afterwards,  to- 


COUNTING    THE    MONEY.  55 

wit,  on  the  6th  day  of  December  last  aforesaid ;  and  that  he, 
the  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  was  required  by  law  on 
the  said  6th  day  of  December  last  aforesaid,  to  render  to 
the  said  Comptroller  an  account  under  the  oath  of  him,  the 
said  Gage,  showing  the  state  of  the  treasury  of  said  city  on 
the  ist  day  of  December  in  the  year  last  aforesaid,  and  the 
balance  of  moneys  in  said  treasury  on  the  said  ist  day  of 
December  aforesaid,  and  a  fair,  accurate,  and  full  statement 
of  all  moneys  in  the  hands  of  him,  the  said  Gage,  as  such 
Treasurer,  on  the  said  ist  day  of  December  last  aforesaid; 

And  that  the  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  did,  on  the 
said  6th  day  of  December,  render,  present,  and  deliver  to 
one  Augustus  H.  Burley,  he,  the  said  Burley,  being  then  and 
there  the  Comptroller  of  said  city,  an  account  showing  the 
state  of  the  treasury  of  said  city  on  the  ist  day  of  Decem- 
ber aforesaid,  and  the  balance  of  moneys  in  said  treasury 
on  the  said  ist  day  of  December,  and  a  statement  of  all 
moneys  in  the  hands  of  him,  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer, 
on  the  said  ist  day  of  December; 

And  that  he,  the  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  in  order 
to  render  the  said  last  named  account  under  his  oath,  and 
in  order  to  verify  the  same  by  his  oath  as  he  was  by  law 
required  to  do  as  aforesaid,  did  on  the  said  6th  day  of  De- 
cember last  aforesaid,  come  and  appear  in  his  own  proper 
person,  in  said  city  of  Chicago,  and  county  of  Cook,  before 
one  Francis  M.  Barrett,  he,  the  said  Barrett,  being  then  and 
there  a  Notary  Public  in  said  city  and  county,  and  then  and 
there,  in  due  form  of  law,  sworn  by  and  before  him,  the  said 
Barrett,  as  such  Notary  Public,  and  did  then  and  there  take 


^6  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

his  oath  before  said  Barrett  as  such  Notary  Public,  he,  the 
said  Barrett,  as  such  Notary  Public,  then  and  there  having' 
full  and  competent  power  and  authority  to  administer  said 
oath  to  him,  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer  in  that  behalf: 
and  that  he,  the  said  David  A.  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer, 
being  so  sworn  as  aforesaid,  upon  his  oath  as  aforesaid,  did 
then  and  there,  to-wit,  on  the  day  and  year  last  aforesaid,  in 
the  city  and  county  aforesaid,  before  him,  the  said  Barrett, 
as  such  Notary  Public,  falsely,  willfully,  unlawfully,  and  cor- 
ruptly say,  depose,  swear,  and  make  oath  and  affidavit,  partly 
written  and  partly  printed,  among  other  things,  in  substance 
and  to  the  effect  following,  that  is  to  say :  that  there  was  on 
the  said  ist  day  of  December  in  the  year  last  aforesaid,  so 
far  as  he,  said  Gage,  knew  or  had  reason  to  believe,  a  bal- 
ance of  money  in  the  treasury  of  said  city  in  the  sum  of  and 
to  the  amount  of  |i,i  18,110.49,  and  that  he,  the  said  Gage, 
on  the  first  day  of  December,  in  the  year  last  aforesaid,  so 
far  as  he,  said  Gage  knew  or  had  reason  to  believe  had  in 
his  hands  as  such  Treasurer,  moneys  in  the  sum,  and  to  the 
amount  last  aforesaid,  which  said  last  named  account  and 
said  oath  and  affidavit,  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  rend- 
ered, delivered  and  presented  to  said  Burley,  as  such  Comp- 
troller, the  said  oath  and  affidavit  being  then  and  there 
attached  to  said  account,  the  said  6th  day  of  December  last 
aforesaid,  as  by  said  account,  oath  and  affidavit  now  on  file 
in  the  proper  office  of  the  Comptroller  of  said  city  more 
fully  and  at  large  appears.  Whereas,  in  truth  and  in  fact, 
as  he,  the  said  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  then  and  there,  to- 
wit,  on  the  said  6th  day  of  December  aforesaid,  in  the  city 


COUNTING    THE    MONEY.  57 

and  county  aforesaid,  well  knew  that  there  was  not,  and 
had  good  reason  to  believe  that  there  was  not,  on  the  said 
ist  day  of  December  aforesaid,  a  balance  of  moneys  in  said 
treasury  in  the  sum  and  to  the  amount  of  $1,118,110.49  5 
and  whereas,  in  truth  and  in  fact,  he,  the  said  Gage,  on  said 
6th  day  of  December,  as  said  Treasurer,  well  knew  that 
there  was  not,  and  had  good  reason  to  believe  there  was  not, 
in  his  hands  as  such  Treasurer  moneys  in  the  sum  and  to 
the  amount  last  aforesaid. 

And  so  the  Grand  Jury  aforesaid,  upon  their  oaths  and 
affirmations  aforesaid,  d-o  present  and  say  that  he,  the  said 
David  A.  Gage,  as  such  Treasurer,  well  knew  and  had 
reason  to  believe,  that  the  said  oath  and  affidavit  were  will- 
fully and  corruptly  false  in  manner  and  form  aforesaid,  and 
that  he,  the  said  David  A.  Gage,  did  commit  willful  and 
corrupt  perjury  in  manner  and  form  aforesaid,  contrary  to 
the  statute,  and  against  the  peace  and  dignity  of  the  people 
of  the  State  of  Illinois. 

Charles  H.  Reed,  State's  Attorney. 

Indorsed  :  A  true  bill, 

R.  R.  Clark,  Foreman  of  the  Grand  Jury. 

Filed  Feb.  10,  1874.  Austin  J.  Doyle,  Clerk.   ■ 

The  civil  and  criminal  actions  are  still  pending.  The 
financial  status  of  Mr.  Gage,  as  to  the  City  Treasury,  may 
be  thus  stated . 

The  deficit  in  the  City  Treasury,  at  the  expiration  of  Mr. 
Gage's  term,  amounted  to  S507>7°3-S8-  Of  this,  in  the  banks 
were  $147,500,  leaving  what  might  be  called  Gage's  personal 
indebtedness  $360,203.58. 


c;8  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

In  the  report  given  as  the  work  of  the  Finance  Committee, 
it  is  observed  that  the  signature  of  Alderman  Sherwood,  one 
of  the  Committee,  is  not  visible.  In  justice  to  Mr.  Sherwood, 
the  following  is  published,  being  a  copy  of  an  interview 
between  that  gentleman  and  a  Tribune  reporter : 

"  Alderman  Sherwood,  a  member  of  the  Committee,  had 
been  called  to  Minnesota  by  the  death  of  a  sister.  On  his 
return,  after  the  election,  he  was  asked  to  sign  the  report,  but 
declined  because  he  was  not  satisfied  that  all  was  right.  He 
went  into  the  Trevasurer"s  office,  and  was  shown  that  the 
balance  corresponded  with  the  amount  called  for  by  the 
Comptroller's  books.  Mr.  Sherwood  then  asked  where  the 
money  was,  and  was  given  a  list  of  the  banks  in  whicli  it  was 
said  to  be  deposited,  as  follows :  * 

Commercial $  -20.SS3.34 

Union  Stock  Yards 60.000.00 

Third  National i33'7So.53 

Union  National 204,113.70 

Fourth  National 50,000.00 

Manufacturers'  National 15,000.00 

Badger's  Bank 7,500.00 

Second  National - -  1 15,000.00 

Mechanics' 38,500.00 

Cook  County 101.113. 79 

Hibernian - 1 0,000.00 

Bank  of  Chicago 5,000.00 

State  Savings  Institution -  122,125.08 

November  Balance, $1,083,016.44 

*  Mr.  Sherwood  obtained  the  foregoing  statements  some  days  before 
election  ;  but,  being  called  suddenly  away,  did  not  have  an  opportunity 
to  analyze  them  before  his  return  from  Minnesota. 


COUNTING   THE    MONEY.  59 

"  Mr.  Sherwood  asked  to  see  the  bank  books,  to  compare 
them  with  the  balances  above  given.  The  clerk  replied  that 
Mr.  Gage  had  taken  the  bank  books  away,  and  that  they 
had  not  been  written  up  for  several  months.  He  (the  clerk) 
had  entered  the  balances  as  Mr.  Gage  gave  them  to  him, 
and,  to  the  best  of  his  knowledge,  the  accounts  were  all 
straight.  The  stubs  on  the  check  -  book  showed  that  there 
were  but  two  "live"  banks,— that  is,  banks  on  which  checks 
were  drawn,—  the  others  being  accounts  that  had  not  been 
disturbed  from  the  time  of  the  fire  until  the  panic.  The 
September  balance  sheet  showed  that  the  Second  National 
had  $100,000  and  the  Mechanics  $35,000,  while  the  Novem- 
ber balance  showed  an  increase  of  $15,000  deposited  in  the 
former,  and  of  $3,500  in  the  latter.  With  the  exception  of 
the  two  banks  that  were  being  constantly  checked  upon, 
these  were  the  only  changes  that  had  been  made  in  the 
accounts  of  other  banks  since  the  fire.  Such  is  the  report 
which  Mr,  Sherwood  received  from  the  clerk. 

"  Mr.  Sherwood  insisted  that  the  bank  books  should  be 
exhibited  fully  written  up.  Soon  after,  Mr.  Sherwood  re- 
ceived a  note  from  Mr.  Gage  requesting  him  to  call  at  the 
Pacific  Hotel,  as  he  desired  to  see  him.  The  result  was  an 
interview,  during  which  Mr.  Gage  acknowledged  he  was 
short,  and  appealed  to  Mr.  Sherwood  to  give  him  ten  days, 
and  he  would  come  out  all  right ;  that  if  he  (Sherwood)  had 
not  discovered  the  real  facts,  nothing  would  ever  be  known 
about  them.  Mr.  Gage  felt  keenly  the  situation  in  which  he 
was  placed.  He  appealed  to  Mr.  Sherwood's  generosity,  and 
his  appeal  prevailed.      Mr.   Sherwood  did  not  insist  upon 


6o  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

examining  the  bank  books,  though  he  now  thinks  he  should 
have  done  so.  He  says  he  pitied  Mr.  Gage.  He  told  Mr.  Gage 
it  was  due  to  him  that  he  should  know  the  worst,  that  he 
understood  that  Mr.  Gage  had  confessed  to  Mr.  Bond  and 
Mr.  Burley,  since  the  election,  that  the  deficit  amounted  to 
$250,000.     Mr.  Gage  replied  that  he  was  short  $300,000. 

"  The  interview  closed,  Mr.  Sherwood  retiring  with  the 
expectation  and  belief  that  Mr.  Gage  would  make  up  the 
deficiency  before  his  successor  demanded  a  settlement. 
This  explains  why  the  report  of  the  Finance  Committee  was 
never  sent  to  the  Council." 

While  pursuing  his  investigations,  Mr.  Sherwood  procured 
from  the  Treasurer's  office  a  statement  which  is  interesting, 
as  it  shows  the  amount  in  the  hands  of  the  Treasurer  each 
month  from  October,  187 1,  to  October,  1873,  inclusive: 

Oct.  17,  1871 $  645,727.98 

Dec.  1,1871 458,463.86 

Jan.  2,  1872 516,666.60 

Feb.  I,  1872 690,295,66 

March  i,  1872 699,359.38 

April  I,  1872 821,522.19 

May  I,  1872 _ 898,594.66 

June  I,  1872 .-     861,925.00 

July  I,  1872 1,082,993.74 

August  I,  1872 1,275,952.56 

Sept.  2,  1872 1,256,584.21 

Oct.  I,  1872.- 1,164,933.40 

Nov.  1,1872 1,077,975,35 

Dec.  2,  1872 1,175,048.99 

Jan.  2,  1873 1,110,109.12 


COUNTING    THE   MONEY.  6l 

Feb.  1,1873... --- S  958.901-51 

March  i,  1873 984,326.62 

April  I,  1873 889,559.53 

May  I,  1873... 1,087,051.45 

June  2,  1873 1,016,998.99 

July  I,  1873 999,588.48 

Aug.  I,  1873 1,288,588.39 

Sept.  I,  1873 1,444,909.57 

Oct.  I,  1873 1,425,461.56 

There  were  several  good  causes,  in  Mr.  Sherwood's  opin- 
ion, why  he  should  not  sign  the  report  —  if  report  it  was. 
As  regarded  the  water  fund  especially,  all  the  information 
he  could  secure  from  officials  could  not  explain  to  his  satis- 
faction the  remarkable  shrinkage.  All  seemed  to  agree  that 
this  fund  was  over  a  million  dollars  before  the  fire.  This 
fund  was  sacred  under  the  charter,  and  Mr.  Sherwood  could 
not  but  be  convinced  that  it  was  drawn  from  when  the 
amount  in  the  hands  of  the  Treasurer  on  Oct.  17,  1871,  was 
found  to  be  $645,727.98. 

Had  this  special  water  fund  been  put  into  bonds,  bear- 
ing interest,  instead  of  placing  the  currency  in  the  hands 
of  the  Treasurer  for  speculation,  it  is  certain  that  the  city 
would  draw  the  interest,  and  the  principle  would  have  been 
something  over  a  million,  instead  of  $645,727.98,  as  reported 
on  Oct.  17,  1871. 

In  his  investigation,  Mr.  Sherwood  ascertained  that  not 
one  of  the  special  appropriation  accounts  had  been  bal- 
anced since  the  fire.  Then,  too,  what  purported  to  be  the 
report  of  the  Finance  Committee  was  singularly  irregular, 


62  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

as  it  was  addressed  to  the  chairman,  L.  L.  Bond,  instead  of 
being  signed,  as  is  the  custom,  by  the  chairman,  who  is  a 
member  of  the  committee  making  the  report. 

If  Mr.  Sherwood  had  signed  the  report,  it  was  the  general 
impression  that  the  white-washing  process  as  regards  the 
city  Treasury  would  have  been  complete. 

In  the  defense  of  Mr.  David  A.  Gage,  the  able  services  of 
Hon.  Leonard  Svvett  have  been  secured.  In  an  interview 
between  this  learned  gentleman  and  the  writer  of  this  work, 
the  following  defense  by  Mr.  Gage  was  ascertained : 

"The  defense  lies  in  the  fact  that  Mr.  Gage  used  and 
loaned  the  City's  funds  by  authority  of  the  City  of  Chicago. 
The  charter  of  1863  provided  that  the  City  Treasurer  keep 
the  funds  in  a  place  designated  by  the  city ;  and  a  penalty  of 
imprisonment  in  the  penitentiary  was.  met  if  the  Treasurer 
converted,  used  or  loaned  such  moneys  in  any  manner  what- 
soever, notwithstanding  the  specifications  of  a  place,  the 
city  never  did  furnish  a  place  ;  and  the  city's  safe  being  so 
insecure  as  to  require  a  special  guard  over  night,  the  habit 
arose,  from  necessity,  to  keep  the  money  in  the  city  banks. 
Each  bank,  desiring  as  much  of  the  money  as  possible,  com- 
petition arose,  and  between  the  years  1863  and  1869,  interest 
was  paid  on  balances,  which  was  kept  as  a  perquisite  of 
office  by  the  City  Treasurer.  As  the  banks  were  always 
considered  good, —  the  fact  of  loaning  being  notorious  — 
the  city  came  to  desire  the  interest.  Consequently,  in  the 
winter  of  1869,  a  law  was  passed  providing  that  the  City 
Council  might,  by  ordinance,  direct  the  City  Treasurer  where 
to  place  such  public  money  at  such  a  rate  of  interest,  and 


COUNTING    THE    MONEY.  63 

with  such  security  as  were  prescribed  by  ordinance.  Mr. 
Gage  was  the  first  Treasurer  elected  after  the  passage  of  this 
law,  and  his  first  official  act  consisted  of  a  written  commun- 
ication to  the  Council  in  which  he  asked  it  to  act  under  this 
law,  and  supervise  the  loaning  of  the  city  money.  With 
this  communication  Mr.  Gage  sent  in  his  official  bond  in  the 
sum  of  $400,000,  which  was  the  amount  required  of  his  pre- 
decessors. The  Council,  after  mature  deliberation,  deter- 
mined that  if  they  should  direct  where  the  money  should  be 
placed,  and,  if  placed  as  directed,  should  be  lost,  the  City 
must  lose  it.  They  therefore  determined  to  exact  a  bond 
from  Mr.  Gage  of  $2,500,000,  with  most  approved  security; 
and  this  indemnified  the  city  in  a  larger  sum  than  any  money 
in  Mr.  Gage's  hands,  and  to  permit  him  to  do  what  he 
pleased  with  the  money.  As  Mr.  Gage  assumed,  by  this 
arrangement,  personal  risk  of  losing,  the  City  paid  him 
$10,000  per  annum  for  his  risk.  After  two  years  Mr.  Gage 
accounted  with  the  city,  having  made  more  than  $100,000 
by  loans.  Mr.  Gage  asked  the  Council  for  a  relief  of  res- 
ponsibility, and  to  direct  where  to  place  the  funds.  The 
Council  declined,  telling  him  to  do  as  he  pleased  —  still 
paying  him  $10,000.  And  now,  having  invested  and  loaned 
in  good  faith,  Mr.  Gage  denies  criminal  liability.  It  is  not 
the  case  of  a  public  officer  using  the  public  funds  and 
becoming  a  defaulter,  but  simply  a  civil  liability  upon  a  loan 
by  authority  of  the  Council.  At  the  end  of  Mr.  Gage's 
term,  every  dollar  had  been  loaned — aggregating  about 
$1,000,000.  It  was  during  the  great  panic  of  '73,  Mr.  Gage 
collected  about  $500,000,  and  paid  over  about  $150,000  in 


.64  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION 

the  city  suspended  banks,  and  about  $350,000  in  other  loans. 
In  this  situation  Mr.  Gage,  although  his  liability  to  do  so  was 
very  doubtful,  assumed  payment  of  deficiencies,  and  put 
nearly  $600,000  as  assets  into  the  hands  of  a  trustee  to  cover 
any  deficiency  ultimately  found  in  the  settlement  of  his 
accounts." 


•  HOW  IT  WAS  DONE. 


The  great  meeting  in  the  Seventeenth  Ward  was  recog- 
nized as  the  inauguration  of  the  local  political  campaign. 
It  was  held  in  Thielman's  Theatre,  on  Clybourne  avenue, 
on  the  evening  of  May  14. 

The  meeting  was  called  to  order  by  ]\Ir.  A.  Hottinger,  who 
denounced  the  way  in  which  the  municipal  government  was 
conducted  under  the  Medillian  administration.  He  said 
he  believed  so-called  temperance  notions,  with  which  the 
heads  of  the  local  rulers  seemed  tu  be  full,  could  be  era- 
dicated as  well  as  slavery  had  been.  He  could  see  nothing 
but  tyranny  in  the  then  city  government.  The  Germans 
would  obey  the  law,  or  what  was  called  the  law,  but  would 
seek  their  redress  with  other  liberal  people  at  the  polls  in 
November. 

Messrs.  Adolphe  Schoeninger  and  Frick.  were  elected 
President  and  Secretary. 

The  former  said  the  object  of  the  meeting  was  to  organize 
a  movement,  regardless  of  party  politics,  whereby  the  liberties 
of  the  people  could  be  secured  and  retained.  It  ajipeared 
to  be  the  aim  of  the  city  government  to  abridge  the  consti- 
tutional riLihts  of  citizens  and  make  them  subservient  to  its 


66  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

will.  Under  its  Know-Nothing  displeasure  the  Germans  had 
come  more  than  any  other  people;  but  they  were  determined 
to  assert  their  manhood,  and  show  the  so-called  temperance 
people  that  they  were  neither  drunkards,  serfs  nor  fools. 
It  was  hoped  that  the  German  papers  could  conscientiously 
unite  in  its  support,  and  that  other  people  would  join  in  the 
movement. 

Mr.  Knoblesdorf  said  that  the  Germans  had  been  driven 
to  organize  for  self -protection  by  the  narrow-minded  men 
who  were  at  the  head  of  municipal  affairs,  and  who  were  en- 
deavoring to  force  their  own  sectarian  and  Know  -  Nothing 
opinions  down  the  public  throat.  The  Germans  were  deter- 
mined to  stand  the  oppression  no  longer.  They  were  about 
to  organize  for  the  preservation  of  their  rights  and  privileges, 
gauranteed  them  by  the  constitution  of  the  country  and  the 
state.  He  believed  the  result  of  the  November  election  in 
Chicago  would  be  a  stern  rebuke  to  the  Know-Nothing  and 
so-called  temperance  element.  It  would  show  them  that  the 
Germans  and  people  of  other  nationalities  were  not  Puritani- 
cal, but  progressive  and  free  in  their  ideas,  and  jealous  of 
their  political  rights. 

Messrs.  Knoblesdorf,  Karls,  Schmehl,  Lengacher  and  Lin- 
don  were  appointed  a  committee  on  resolutions. 

Mr.  A.  C.  Hesing,  having  been  loudly  called  for,  spoke 
in  favor  of  any  movement  which  would  free  the  people  from 
the  thralldom  of  narrow  views  and  national  prejudices,  by 
which  the  municipal  rulers  seemed  to  be  swayed.  If  such 
a  movement  could  be  organized  by  Republicans  and  Demo- 
crats anxious  to  preserve  the  constitutional  liberties  of  the 


HOW    IT    WAS   DONE.  67 

people,  so  much  the  better.  The  record  of  the  Germans 
could  be  pointed  to  with  pride.  They  were  not  drunkards 
because  they  loved  convivial  beer.  They  had  shown  their 
patriotism  and  love  of  American  institutions  on  many  a 
blood-stained  field.  But  it  seemed,  from  present  appear- 
ances, that  all  their  present  sacrifices  only  entitled  them  to 
be  trodden  under  foot  in  civil  life.  Their  moral  record  was 
clearly  shown  by  the  national  statistics  of  crime.  Know- 
nothingism  was  striving  to  get  the  upper  hand  again  in  this 
city,  but  it  would  be  put  down  as  it  was  before.  Native 
Americans  had  produced  more  public  men  at  whom  the  fin- 
ger of  scorn  could  be  pointed,  than  foreigners.  The  speaker 
instanced  the  cases  of  Colfax,  Brooks,  and  Ames.  Mr. 
Hesing  concluded  by  stating  that  he  would  vote  for  any 
man,  be  he  Republican,  Liberal,  or  Democrat,  who  would 
exert  himself  to  keep  the  personal  rights  of  citizens  invio- 
late. 

Mr.  H.  B.  Miller  followed  by  a  renunciation  of  the  Re- 
publican party. 

The  Committee  on  Resolutions  then  returned  resolutions 
expressive  of  the  sentiment  of  the  meeting.  The  following 
is  a  copy  of  the  resolutions: 

Resolved,  That  the  present  meeting  of  German  citizens, 
without  distinction  of  party,  declares  it  to  be  the  duty  of 
every  liberal-minded  citizen  to  seek  in  the  impending  elec- 
tion to  work  for  the  future,  and  not  to  fight  over  the  past. 

Resolved,  That  we  invite  all  the  liberal  elements  of  all 
nationalities  and  all  parties  to  co-operate  with  us. 

Resolved,  That,  in  the  contest  which  has  been  forced  upon 


68  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

US,  not  merely  the  oppressive  temperance  laws  are  concerned, 
but  the  principle  of  freedom  of  conscience,  and  freedom  to 
conduct  business  of  all  kinds. 

Resolved,  That  we  invite  the  citizens  of  all  the  wards  to 
organize  at  once,  and  that  the  united  organizations  unite  in 
a  central  body  as  quickly  as  possible. 

Resolved,  That  we  are  of  the  opinion  that  not  only  all 
liberal-minded  citizens,  but  also  the  German  newspapers, 
should  take  a  part  in  this  contest ;  and  we,  therefore,  request 
them  to  unite  with  us  in  the  approaching  election,  and  that 
we  reject  with  indignation  every  attempt  to  make  capital 
out  of  this  common  cause. 

To  carry  out  these  principles,  the  following  measures  were 
agreed  to  : 

That  the  representatives  of  the  German  press  pledge 
themselves  to  support  effectually  the  efforts  of  the  liberal- 
minded  citizens,  and  refrain  from  all  personal  attacks  upon 
them. 

That,  at  all  future  elections,  we  will  give  our  votes  to  only 
those  men  who  can  give  us  satisfactory  written  guarantees 
that  they  will  act  for  the  preservation  of  the  personal  free- 
dom and  rights  guaranteed  by  the  constitution  of  the 
United  States,  and  that  they  are  in  favor  of  the  putting 
down  of  the  unconstitutional  and  hostile-to-freedom  Tem- 
perance and  Sunday  laws,  and  of  the  maintainance  and 
freedom  of  trade. 

That  a  committee  be  appointed  in  each  ward  to  see  to  the 
naturalization  of  all  who  are  entitled  to  become  citizens. 

That  the  citizens  of  all  the  wards  are  invited  to  elect  exe- 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  69 

cutive  committees,  and  that  they  unite  to  form  a  central 
committee. 

Then  came  the  great  German  mass  meeting,  on  the  even- 
ing of  May  20,  at  Aurora  Turner  Hall,  on  Milwaukee 
avenue. 

Ex-Alderman  John  Buehler  was  elected  Chairman,  and 
Mr.  Pfurstenberg  acted  as  Secretary. 

The  first  speaker  was  Mr.  A.  C.  Hesing.  He  said  that  he 
was  greatly  pleased  that  the  movement  begun  on  the  North 
Side  had  spread  like  wnldfire  into  the  rest  of  the  city.  His 
exchanges  showed  that  the  movement  here  met  with  applause 
everywhere.  They  must  forget  the  past,  and  think  only  how 
to  succeed  in  the  future.  The  Germans  must  assure  their 
fellow-citizens  that  they  were  for  good  order  every  day,  and 
that  they  would  support  only  good  candidates  for  every 
position,  and  turn  out  every  man  from  the  Council  w^ho  had 
anything  to  do  with  rings  or  with  pushing  on  these  domicil- 
iary visits  of  police,  etc.  The  German  who  went  to  church 
Sunday  morning  and  to  a  lager  beer  garden  in  the  afternoon 
had  a  right  to  have  his  opinion  respected.  They  should  be 
careful  to  nominate  men  who  would  not  betray  them.  The 
ward  committees  would  form  a  central  one.  which  would 
issue  an  address  to  the  public,  stating  their  views,  and  de- 
claring by  the  Almighty  they  would  not  cease  till  their 
objects  were  attained. 

Francis  A.  Hoffman,  Jr.,  followed.  The  speaker  said  that 
the  United  States  was  settled  by  many  nationalities,  even 
before  the  Constitution  was  adopted.  French,  Dutch  and 
English  had  come  here.     Afterwards  an  immense  immigra- 


7° 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


tion  ensued.  So  many  Germans  had  come  that  they  pre- 
served their  own  customs  and  manners,  to  a  great  extent. 
Then  the  Know-Nothing  movement  arose,  and  those  who 
belonged  to  it  denied  their  connection,  as  Henry  Wilson  had 
done.  They  must  in  this  movement  join  all  hand  in  hand, 
irrespective  of  anything  but  thtir  rights.  It  was  said  that 
the  Supreme  Court  would  sustain  the  Sunday  and  temper- 
ance laws.  That  was  so ;  but  the  Federal  Supreme  Court 
had  not  decided  anything  of  the  kind.  Slavery  was  consti- 
tutional, and  yet  it  had  been  put  to  death.  This  was  not  a 
question  of  beer,  it  was  one  of  personal  rights.  Why, 
instead  of  fighting  the  Germans  and  their  rights,  did  not  the 
Puritans  reprove  their  Ben.  Butlers.^  The  Germans  had 
fought  bravely  for  American  Union.  Never  would  such  a 
people  be  conquered  in  the  present  contest.  They  must 
sink  Republican  and  Democrat,  Catholic  and  Protestant, 
Free  Trader  and  Protectionist,  and  go  in  single-hearted  to 
their  contest  for  freedom  and  the  right,  and  the  good  old 
customs  of  the  mother  land  which  they  had  transplanted  to 
these  American  shores. 

Mr.  Emil  Dietzsch  followed.  He  said  that  Germans  and 
Irish,  they  were  all  Americans.  For  years  the  Germans  had 
stood  by  the  Republican  party;  now  the  temperance  people 
were  demanding  their  pound  of  flesh. 

General  Herman  Lieb  and  others  closed  the  meeting  with 
remarks. 

Meetings  in  the  various  wards  followed  fast  and  numerous, 
awakening  a  perfect  storm  of  feeling. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Chicago  Turngemeinde,  held  in  the 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  7 1 

North  Side  Turner  Hall,  May  21,  the  following  resolutions 
were  adopted  : 

**  Whereas,  That  element  of  the  nation  which  is  inimical 
to  the  foreign-born  citizens  has  got  control  in  Chicago,  as 
well  as  all  over  the  country;  of  the  legislative  branches 
of  government,  and  through  them  infringes  upon  the  per- 
sonal liberty  of  individuals,  prostitutes  the  basis  of  a  Repub- 
lican form  of  government,  and  attempts  to  force  upon  the 
free  and  independent  citizen  the  straight-jacket  of  Puritan- 
ical views ;  and 

"Whereas,  The  Turngemeinde  of  Chicago  is  in  duty 
bound  to  take  up  unanimously  the  side  of  reformatory,  lib- 
eral and  Democratic  ideas  in  the  political  and  social  life ; 
therefore, 

''''Resolved,  That  we  hail  with  joy  the  union  of  all  liberal- 
minded  citizens  of  Chicago,  and  that  we  promise  to  assist 
with  all  our  might  in  the  battle  against  the  attempts  of  the 
Puritans  against  personal  rights  and  the  freedom  of  trade. 

"  Resolved,  That  it  advise  its  members  to  forget  all  party 
differences  of  the  past,  and  to  elect  only  such  men  as  those 
whose  past  life  is  a  guaranty  of  their  coincidence  with  our 
views,  and  that  they  will  honestly  fulfill  the  promises  given 
to  us. 

"  Resolved,  That,  as  the  joint  action  of  all  liberal  organ- 
izations and  societies,  without  distinction  of  party  or  nation- 
ality, will  give  this  movement  sure  victory,  the  Turnge- 
meinde invites  all  societies  to  delegate  five  members  each, 
for  mutual  consultation  and  united  action. 


72  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

"  Resolved,  That  it  is  advisable  to  secure  to  the  movement 
general  confidence,  to  request  societies  to  elect  only  such 
delegates  as  are  honored  in  their  walks  of  life,  and  whom 
nobody  can  reproach  with  studying  any  special  interests. 

"Resolved,  That  the  Turngemeinde  absolutely  denies  the 
insinuation  that  in  the  coming  election  the  German  element 
intends  to  force  itself  to  the  front:  far  from  it;  we  think  we 
are  able  to  promise  the  hearty  support  and  warm  apprecia- 
tion of  Germans  to  all  those  liberal-minded  men,  of  all  na- 
tionalities, who  will  fight  with  us  against  falsehood  and 
hypocrisy. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  Turngemeinde  offers  its  hall  and 
building,  free  of  charge,  for  mass-meetings,  committee- 
meetings,  and  all  purposes  that  will  help  the  cause. 

"  Resolved,  That  these  resolutions  be  published  in  the 
German  and  English  dailies,  and  the  Scandinavian  and 
Bohemian  weeklies." 

At  this  juncture,  the  movement  had  attained  such  formi- 
dable proportions  that  the  Chicago  Tribime,  on  May  24, 
published  the  following  head-lines,  in  very  bold  type,  pre- 
ceding reports  of  meetings  :  "  The  Germans  ;  They  are 
Rapidly  I^rifting  Away  from  the  Republican  Party." 

Again,  in  the  same  journal  of  May  29,  the  following  head- 
lines appeared  in  bold  type  :  "  It  is  Spreading  ;  The  New 
Departure  of  the  German  Americans."  Eight  enthu- 
siastic liberal  meetings  had  been  held  the  evening  previous. 

At  those  meetings,  in  conformity  with  the  programme  of 
*'  the  New  Departure,"  delegates  were  appointed  to  meet  and 
select  an  Agitation  Committee. 


HOW    IT    WAS   DONE.  73 

On  the  evening  of  May  29th,  these  delegates  met  in 
Bismarck  Hall,  in  the  Teutonia  Building,  and  appointed  the 
following  Agitation  Committee  :  Frank  Schweinfiirth,  Will- 
iam Floth,  Clovis  Tegtmeyer,  C.  Niehoff,  Dr.  Matthei,  Max 
Eberhardt,  Emil  Muhlke,  R.  Thieme,  F.  A.  Hoffman,  J. 
Schiellinger,  R.  Michaelis,  G.  R.  Korn,  William  Schwarz,  B. 
Eisendrath,  Carl  Dahinten,  Philip  Stein,  H.  Schandlin,  W. 
Schaeffer,  Carl  Bluhm,  R.  Freiberg,  A.  C.  Hesing,  R.  Chris- 
tiansen, J.  C.  Meyer,  Peter  Hand,  A.  Erbe,  L.  Schwuchow, 
F.  Sengi,  and  the  editors  of  the  various  German  papers. 

This  Agitation  Committee  went  to  work  at  once  with 
great  earnestness.  The  result  of  their  labors  was  the  fol- 
lowing Address  and  resolutions.  Said  Address  and  resolu- 
tions were  presented,  on  the  evening  of  June  25,  to  the 
Central  Committee,  in  Bismarck  Hall,  and  were  adopted 
unanimously : 

"  If  it  is  in  times  of  great  political  excitement  that  every 
citizen  is  called  upon  to  discharge  his  duties  in  upholding 
and  supporting  the  rights  of  his  fellow-men,  the  integrity  of 
the  nation,  or  the  public  welfare  and  prosperity,  it  is  also  at 
such  times  that,  from  passion  and  self-interest,  men  will 
lose  sight  of  the  goodness  of  the  cause  in  which  they  have 
enlisted,  that  they  will  endeavor  to  corrupt  the  true  instincts 
of  the  people,  in  order  to  make  them  subservient  to  their 
own  personal  ends,  to  their  desire  of  private  gain  and  self- 
aggrandizement.  The  great  conflict  that  was  carried  on 
between  two  large  and  powerful  sections  of  this  country, 
which  resulted  in  the  final  triumph  of  the  principle  advocat- 
ing the  right  of  freedom   from   involuntary   servitude  and 


74 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


bondage  among  men,  has  also  fired  the  passion  and  encour- 
aged the  love  of  power  and  personal  gain  among  our  people. 
We  have  seen  the  scandalous  transactions  of  men  in  high 
office,  we  have  witnessed  the  attempt  of  defrauding  the  pub- 
lic treasury.  Instead  of  the  personal  rights  of  the  citizen 
being  respected,  and  the  principles  of  our  fundamental  laws 
being  carried  out,  men  seek  to  control  those  rights,  and  use 
the  instrument  of  government  as  a  means  of  oppression. 
Men  seem  to  forget  that  the  first  condition  of  liberty  is  the 
establishment  of  some  higher  principle  than  compulsion  and 
fear.  A  government  that  rests  on  material  force  alone,  and 
adopts  coercive  measures  to  compel  the  people  to  follow  a 
certain  line  of  conduct,  must  always  be  a  tyranny,  whatever 
form  it  assumes. 

"  The  question  that  seems  most  deeply  to  interest  the  people 
at  the  present  moment,  not  only  in  this  community,  but  in 
all  parts  of  the  country,  is  that  concerning  the  renewed  at- 
tempt to  enforce  certain  laws  which,  for  some  time,  had  been 
obsolete,  and  to  lend  assistance  to  their  sanctioning  power 
by  additional  legislation,  and  which,  for  the  sake  of  brevity, 
we  familiarly  style  the  Temperance  and  Sunday  laws. 

"That  these  laws  are  obnoxious  to  a  large  and  respectable 
portion  of  our  people,  is  not  so  much  owing  to  the  fact  that 
they  are  intended  to  wage  war  against  the  legitimate  customs 
and  habits  of  a  large  class  of  our  population,  but  to  the 
well-founded  apprehension  that  they  are  calculated  to  aim  a 
deadly  blow  against  the  fundamental  rights  of  American 
citizenship  —  the  right  to  be  protected  in  the  pursuit  of  hap- 
piness, the  acquisition  of  private  property,  and  the  exercise 


HOW    IT    WAS   DONE.  75 

of  personal  liberty.  It  is  the  candid  opinion  of  those  who 
undertake  to  oppose  those  laws  that,  although  they  pretend 
to  be  mere  police  regulations,  for  the  preservation  of  the 
public  peace,  they  are  dictated  by  the  spirit  of  religious  sec- 
tarianism, which  is  bent  upon  subjecting  the  powers  of  gov- 
ernment and  the  private  conduct  of  its  citizens  to  a  system 
of  religious  belief  to  which  a  number  of  our  citizens,  who 
by  no  means  form  a  minority,  can,  from  private  convictions, 
never  conform. 

"  We  claim  that  these  rules,  by  which  our  own  civil  conduct 
is  to  be  regulated,  tend  toward  the  establishment  of  a  State 
religion,  and  violate,  if  enforced,  without  qualification,  the 
fundamental  rights  reserved  to  the  people  by  our  organic 
laws. 

"  We  hold  that  moral  principles,  which  are  to  shape  the 
conduct  of  our  people,  cannot  effectually  be  taught  in  the 
form  of  positive  law  in  the  halls  of  legislation,  but  in  the 
schools,  whether  public  or  private,  whether  denominational 
or  otherwise,  and  in  the  sacred  confines  of  our  private  homes. 
We  hold  that  in  those  countries  where  public  instruction  is 
encouraged,  and  where  all  essential  facilities  are  freely  given, 
the  commission  of  crime  is  far  less  frequent,  immoral  prac- 
tices but  few  in  number,  and  the  tone  of  public  morality  the 
most  healthy.  We  are  of  opinion  that,  in  order  to  preserve 
and  maintain  the  virtue  of  the  people,  we  have  to  raise  the 
moral  standard  of  our  youth,  we  have  to  educate  the  rising 
generation  up  to  that  standard  of  public  and  private  virtue 
which  has  been  the  pride  of  those  days,  in  which  the  fathers 
of  this  country  reared  this  noble  fabric  of  government,  whose 


76  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

object  is  to  secure  the  greatest  happiness  to  the  greatest 
number  of  its  citizens. 

"  In  submitting  the  subjoined  resolutions,  adopted  by  a 
central  committee,  regularly  chosen,  we  disclaim  any  inten- 
tion of  disobeying  the  laws  as  long  as  they  exist;  we  shall 
use  all  legal  means  to  alter  tnem,  and  will  be  guided  in  our 
political  conduct  hereafter  by  the  platform  which  we  submit. 
We  further  disclaim  all  tendencies  towards  German  Nativism, 
as  sometimes  charged  against  us.  A  common  language  and 
views  common  to  citizens  of  German  descent  have  neces- 
sarily caused  us  to  act  in  harmony  in  this  case,  but  speaking 
also  the  English  language,  and  in  the  proud  consciousness  of 
being  American  citizens,  always  true  to  our  adopted  country, 
we  call  on  citizens  of  all  nationalities,  whether  born  here  or 
in  another  country,  to  join  us  in  this  movement  which,  we 
believe,  is  a  combat  for  right  and  liberty. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  civil  service  of  the  general,  state,  and 
local  government  has  become  a  mere  instrument  of  partisan 
tyranny,  and  personal  ambition,  and  an  object  of  selfish 
greed.  It  is  a  scandal  and  reproach  upon  free  institutions, 
and  breeds  demoralization  dangerous  to  the  perpetuity  of 
Republican  government.  We  therefore  regard  a  thorough 
reform  of  the  civil  service  as  one  of  the  most  pressing 
necessities  of  the  hour ;  that  honesty,  capacity  and  fidelity 
constitute  the  only  valid  claims  to  public  employment ;  that 
the  offices  cease  to  be  a  matter  of  arbitrary  favoritism  and 
patronage ;  and  that  public  stations  shall  become  again  posts 
of  honor. 

^''Resolved,  That  in  the  present  state  of  the  public  finances. 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE. 


77 


it  is  imperatively  necessary  that  our  city  and  county  affairs 
be  managed  in  the  most  economical  manner,  and  that  the 
public  monies  be  husbanded  as  carefully  and  frugally  as 
possible. 

"  Resolved,  That  education  of  the  youth  is  the  most  effective 
agency  for  the  suppression  and  prevention  of  crime,  and 
that  the  establishment  of  a  sufficient  number  of  well-located 
schools,  and  the  engagement  of  a  large  number  of  competent 
teachers  is  one  of  the  greatest  demands  of  this  city,  and 
ought  at  once  to  be  attended  to. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  regard  it  as  an  outrage  and  in  conflict 
with  the  spirit  of  the  times  and  our  institutions,  that  a  man 
should,  except  in  cases  of  breach  of  the  peace,  be  arrested, 
in  cases  where  his  offence,  if  any,  is  punished  by  law  with  a 
fine  only.  In  such  cases  a  mere  summons  answers  every 
just  and  lawful  purpose.  All  laws  and  ordinances  in  conflict 
with  this  resolution  ought  to  be  modified  in  accordance 
therewith. 

''''Resolved,  That  the  police  power  of  the  state,  county, 
or  city  should  under  no  circumstances  be  wielded  in  the 
interest  of  only  infractions  of  society  for  the  single  purpose 
of  enforcing  their  individual  views  and  convictions  upon 
another  portion  of  the  community,  or  in  the  interest  of  their 
individual  religious  views,  or  in  the  interest  of  exclusive 
modes  in  which  happiness  should  be  pursued  and  life  enjoyed. 
Recognizing  existing  institutions,  we  assent  to  the  demand  that 
during  Sunday  all  business  and  amusements  should  be  under 
such  restrictions  as  will  in  no  manner  inl»erfere  with  or  dis- 
turb the  devotion  or  worship  of  any  class  of  society,  at  the 


jS  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

same  time  denying  the  right  of  any  portion  of  the  community 
to  determine  how  their  neighbors  shall  pass  their  Sunday, 
meaning  hereby  to  concede  just  what  is  demanded  in  return 
—  that  all  shall  be  left  free  to  spend  their  Sunday  as  they 
may  see  fit,  provided,  only,  that  they  do  not  commit  a  breach 
of  the  peace,  or  interfere  with  any  other  person  exercising 
exactly  the  same  right  of  choice,  this  right  of  choice,  under 
the  above  limitations,  being,  as  we  believe,  a  sacred  right 
guaranteed  by  the  institutions  of  our  country. 

"  Resolved,  That  the  cause  of  Temperance  is  deserving  of 
aid  and  assistance  by  all  good  men ;  intemperance  in  all 
things  whatsoever  ought  to  be  combated  with  all  suitable 
means.  For  this  reason,  we  are  in  favor  of  encouraging  the 
planting  and  growing  of  vineyards  in  this  country,  and  en- 
couraging the  brewing  of  good  beer,  ales,  etc. ;  and  we  also 
jecommend  the  repeal  or  reduction  of  duties  upon  the  im- 
port of  vinous  and  malt  liquors.  There  ought  also  to  be 
appointed  by  the  proper  authorities  inspectors  of  all  the 
beverages  sold  publicly,  and  those  found  impure  and  deteri- 
orated ought  to  be  condemned,  and  the  dealers  therein 
fined. 

'"'' Resolved,  That  we  recommend  the  passage  of  an  ordinance 
prohibiting  the  granting  of  licenses  for  keeping  saloons, 
pawn-broker  shops,  fruit  stands,  auction  stores,  hacks,  etc., 
to  persons  of  bad  repute. 

^''Resolved,  That  we  consider  it  a  cardinal  principle  that  a 
person  should  be  held  liable  for  his  own  wrong  only;  and 
for  that  reason  we  consider  as  unjustifiable  the  statutory 
enactment  making  the  owner  or  landlord  of  premises  respon- 


HOW    IT    WAS   DONE.  79 

sible  for  the  neglect  or  misdemeanor  of  his  tenant.  And  for 
the  same  reason  we  demand  that  drunkards  be  held 
strictly  accountable  as  well  for  their  acts  committed  Avhile 
drunk  as  for  committing  the  act  of  getting  drunk. 

"  Resolved^  That  we  recommend  the  principles  and  views 
above  set  forth  to  the  candid  consideration  of  any  good  cit- 
izen, and  we  herewith  invite  all  to  join  us  in  our  efforts  to 
re-establish  and  maintain  our  fundamental  rights  and  liber- 
ties as  citizens  of  this  glorious  Republic,  and  to  oppose 
every  candidate  for  office  who  is  not  in  sympathy  with  the 
spirit  of  the  foregoing  resolutions." 

At  the  same  meeting  it  was  agreed,  on  suggestion  of  Mr. 
A.  C.  Hesing,  to  hold  a  mass  meeting. 

On  the  evening  of  July  17,  seventeen  members  of  the 
Committee  of  Seventy  met  in  the  Builders'  Exchange,  on 
LaSalle  street.  The  meeting  here  decided  the  fight  to  be  a 
square  stand-up  one  on  the  "  Law  and  Order  "  side. 

Sunday  afternoon,  August  31,  1873,  several  gentlemen  met 
in  Greenebaum's  bank.  Present,  among  others,  B.  G.  Caul- 
field,  W.  J.  Onahan,  A.  C.  Hesing,  General  Leib,  Justice 
Boyden,  Peter  Hunt,  Ed.  O'Neil,  R.  Kenney,  J.  Bonfield,  J. 
H.  McAvoy,  M.  Evans,  John  Corcoran,  Arno  Voss,  Ed. 
Phillips,  A.  Schoenninger,  Jacob  Rehm,  P.  M.  Cleary,  T.  Bren- 
nan,  George  von  HoUen. 

Arno  Voss  presided.     W.  J.  Onahan  acted  as  Secretary. 

Mr.  O'Hara  said  it  made  him  feel  proud  that  he  had  been 
a  Democrat  from  childhood ;  he  had  lived  a  Democrat  and 
hoped  to  die  a  Democrat.     There  was  in  the  present  admin- 


8o  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

istration  a  dangerous  tendency  to  despotism,  and  a  display 
of  Puritanism  which  was  simply  intolerant.  While  he  fav- 
ored a  proper  observance  of  law,  he  could  not  but  deprecate 
extreme  measures.  Crime  nor  lawlessness  did  he  favor,  but 
he  thought  the  best  interests  of  society  could  be  consulted 
by  adopting  such  a  course  as  would  harmonize  all  classes  of 
our  people.  He  did  not  care  to  see  the  doors  of  saloons 
thrown  wide  open  on  Sundays.  This  would  offend  a  certain 
class,  and  be  very  illiberal.  To  compromise,  why  not  cause 
saloon  proprietors  to  keep  closed  doors  and  drawn  curtains, 
place  the  establishments  under  police  surveillance,  and  sup- 
press disorderly  conduct.?  The  main  question  to  insure 
success  was  the  selection  of  good  men  for  city  officers. 

Mr.  B.  G.  Caulfield  followed.  He  said  Mayor  Medill  was 
elected  irrespective  of  politics,  but  had  sold  out  to  the  Law 
and  Order  men.  In  his  administration  only  a  moiety  of  our 
population  had  been  regarded.  Washburn  was  nothing  but 
an  importation,  and  had  displayed  a  stubborn  and  ill-governed 
disposition.  The  Police  Department  had  become  a  tool  in 
his  hands  to  enforce  Puritanical  ideas. 

Mr.  A.  C.  Hesing  denounced  the  city  government  briskly. 
As  an  evidence  of  the  manner  in  which  Washburn  was  con- 
ducting police  affairs  he  instanced  the  case  of  Dennis  Sim- 
mons, one  of  the  best  officers  on  the  force,  who  was  dis- 
charged on  a  most  frivolous  charge. 

Messrs.  Michael  Keeley  and  Lieb  also  addressed  the 
meeting. 

On  the  evening  of  Sept.  3,  the  German-American  Central 
Committee  met  at  Bismarck  Hall. 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  8l 

Mr.  A.  SchcBnninger  called  the  meeting  to  order.  He  re- 
ferred to  the  meeting  in  Greenebaum's  building,  where  a 
committee  was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  Committee  of 
Agitation. 

Mr.  A.  C.  Hesing  said  that  the  committee,  appointed  by 
the  meeting  at  Greenebaum's  bank,  consisted  of  Americans^ 
Irishmen,  and  members  of  all  nationalities  excepting  Ger- 
mans. It  was  intended  hereby  that  a  coalition  should  be 
formed. 

On  the  evening  of  Sept.  5,  a  meeting  was  held  in  Greene- 
baum's building.  Col.  Arno  Voss  called  the  meeting  to 
order,  and  stated  it  was  a  continuation  of  the  meeting  of 
the  Sunday  previous. 

Alderman  McAvoy,  Chairman  of  the  Committee  appoint- 
ed to  act  in  connection  with  the  German  organization  for 
the  purpose  of  calling  a  mass-meeting,  reported  the  names 
for  said  committee.     It  was  accepted. 

A  committee  of  five  was  appointed  to  see  that  all  nation- 
alities were  represented  in  committees. 

Pending  the  Committee's  report,  Mr.  A.  C.  Hesing,  having 
been  called  upon,  gave  the  history  of  the  organization 
known  as  the  German-American  club.  This  body,  he  said, 
it  was  intended,  should  meet  another  body  constructed  by 
this  meeting,  to  exchange  suggestions  for  a  platform.  This 
platform,  he  hoped,  would  speak  in  favor  of  law  and  order, 
of  which  he  was  in  favor  as  much  as  Alderman  Woodard,' 
or  any  other  man. 

Alderman  McGrath  returned  with  additional  names  for 


82  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

the  Committee  of  Conference,  adding  also  several  for  the 
county. 

Mr.  Keeley  moved  that  the  joint  committees  be  instructed 
to  draw  up  a  platform,  representing  the  wishes  of  the  people, 
and  report  the  same  to  a  mass-meeting.  The  motion  pre- 
vailed. 

On  Saturday  evening,  Sept.  6,  the  coalition  met  in  Bis- 
mark  Hall,  and  received  the  platform  of  the  preceding 
June. 

On  the  evening  of  Sept.  12,  the  platform  of  Sept.  26, 
1873,  was  adopted. 

The  following  amendment  was  adopted,  offered  by  Mr. 
Rosenthal : 

Resolved,  That  there  ought  also  to  be  appointed,  by  the 
proper  authorities,  inspectors  of  all  beverages  sold  publicly, 
and  those  found  impure  and  deteriorated  ought  to  be  con- 
demned, and  dealers  therein  fined. 

The  following  letter  was  read,  from  Henry  Greenebaum, 
-Esq.: 

You  will  please  excuse  me  from  taking  any  active  part 
in  the  deliberations  of  your  committee.  While  I  have 
no  inclination  to  figure  in  politics, —  my  business  duties  ab- 
sorbing my  time  fully, —  candor  prompts  me  to  say  that  I 
am  in  sympathy  with  your  movement,  and  I  am  of  the 
opinion  that  a  municipal  ticket,  to  be  composed  of  gentle- 
men possessing  honesty  and  integrity,  as  tvell  as  broad  and  prac- 
tical views,  will  be  overwhelmingly  sustained  at  the  polls. 
Respectfully,       Henry  Greenebaum. 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  83  " 

Mr.  Rosenthal  presented  a  resolution  which  was  adopted, 
making  the  election  of  judges  independent  of  party  issues. 

On  the  evening  of  Friday,  Sept.  26,  1873,  a  meeting  of  the 
joint  committee  was  held  in  Bismarck  Hall. 

Mr.  Hesing  presented  the  following  call  which  was  unan- 
imously adopted  : 

TO    OUR    FELLOW    CITIZENS. 

"  In  view  of  our  approaching  municipal  election  and  the 
important  issues  for  the  welfare  of  our  city  involved  there- 
in, we  call  on  all  those  who  look  calmly  and  without  preju- 
dice upon  the  political  situation,  to  unite  with  us  in  order  to' 
secure  a  good  and  economical  government  for  the  next  mu- 
nicipal term.  We  call  upon  those  who  are  in  favor  of  an 
honest  city  and  county  administration  ;  who  are  opposed  to 
intemperance,  and  endeavor  to  advance'  public  morals  by 
moral  suasion,  and  not  by  prohibitory  laws  ;  who  are  in 
favor  of  a  quiet  Sunday  by  protecting  religious  services 
without  resort  to  a  stringent  general  law;  who  are  opposed 
to  the  granting  of  licenses  to  people  of  bad  repute  ;  who 
are  in  favor  of  reforming  our  police  so  that  the  force  may 
be  the  protectors  of  life  and  property,  and  not  the  tools  of 
intolerance  and  bigoted  fanaticism  ;  who  are  in  favor  of  law 
and  order,  but  are  opposed  to  every  faction  and  every  can- 
didate who  misapply  the  term  for  the  purposes  of  intol- 
erance and  tyranny, —  we  invite  all  citizens  of  all  national- 
ities to  whatever  political  party  they  may  have  formerly 
belonged,  who  adopt  the  above  views,  to  meet  in  mass-meet- 
ing at  Kingsbury  Hall,  on  Saturday,  October  4,   at   eight 


84  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

o'clock  p.  m.,  for  consultation  and  joint  action  in  regard 
to  the  approaching  election." 

Now  came  the  great  and  enthusiastic  meeting  at  Kings- 
bury Hall,  Saturday  evening.  It  was  an  immense  demon- 
stration.    Clark  street  was  black  with  the  masses. 

Among  the  many  transparencies  carried  by  the  multitude 
were  observed  the  following  : 

"  Who  owes  the  city  over  ^2,000,000  in  taxes  .'  The  Law 
and  Order  Party." 

"  Equal  rights  for  cottages  and  palaces." 

"  Down  with  an  aristocracy  of  stock  swindlers  and  grain 
gamblers." 

"If  Puritans  rule,  the  country  is  gone." 

"  Our  capital  consists  of  muscle  and  strength." 

"  Protection  against  crime  and  a  sledge  -  hammer  police 
force." 

"  Who  resists  the  payment  of  taxes  ?  The  leaders  of  the 
Law  and  Order  Party." 

"The  People's  choice  is  the  best." 

"  Fifteen  hundred  majority  for  the  Fifteenth  Ward." 

"Let  the  light  shine  on  our  actions,  Sundays  not  ex- 
cepted." 

"  Law  and  order  is  our  motto,  but  not  by  force." 

"  The  People's  Party  is  too  glorious  not  to  be  this  time 
victorious." 

"  We  favor  temperance  and  toleration  in  all  things." 

"The  People  will  reform  our  politics." 

"  The  Mayor's  bill  will  prove  a  failure." 

"Our  Party  is  the  strongest." 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  85 

"The  People  will  reform  our  Police  Department." 

"We  are  tax-payers,  not  tax-fighters." 

"Send  Washburn  home  to  Joliet." 

"We  will  vote  for  the  support  of  law  and  order." 

"Old  Barnacles,  take  back  seats." 

"  Equal  rights  to  all.     Down  with  fanatics." 

"  The  people  have  arisen  in  their  might.  When  the  peo- 
ple rise  fanaticism  trembles." 

"  The  great  power  for  good  is  by  moral  suasion,  and  not 
by  prohibition." 

"  The  duty  of  the  police  is  to  arrest  criminals  and  not 
innocent  men." 

"The  Nineteenth  Ward  good  for  i,ooo  majority." 

"No  more  gilt-edged  candidates." 

"  We  claim  our  constitutional  rights.' 

"  Good-by,  Joe  ;  do  n't  you  wish  you  had  joined  the  Peo- 
ple's Party .''  " 

H.  B.  Miller,  Esq.,  occupied  the  chair.  The  gentleman 
referred  to  the  time  after  the  great  fire  when  all,  sharing 
in  a  common  loss,  laid  aside  poUtical  sentiments  to  elect  a 
worthy  administration.  Soon  after  the  installation  of  the 
new  officers,  a  handful  of  bigoted  and  fanatical  men  com- 
menced to  plot  to  undermine  the  privileges  of  a  weakened 
people;  to  undermine  privileges  they  had  been  accorded 
from  time  immemorial.  Against  the  earnest  pleadings  and 
protests  of  our  best  citizens,  the  ear  of  the  Executive  was 
opened  to  them.  A  superintendent  of  police  had  been  im- 
ported from  Joliet,  who  knew  nothing  of  us,  and  under  his  rule 
the  police  force,  being  subjected  to  a  system  of  mean  espion- 


86  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

age  and  other  humilities,  became  demoraHzed.  It  was  now 
proposed  to  place  in  the  field  men  of  honesty,  who  would 
pay  attention  to  the  vital  interests  of  the  city.  The  weapon 
to  be  used  was  the  ballot  box. 

Mr.  B.  G.   Caulfield    followed    in    an    energetic   speech.  . 
The  following  is  a  brief  synopsis  : 

"  It  is  probable  that  during  the  preparations  made  for  the 
election  there  will  be  various  meetings  held  with  the  view  of 
bringing  out  our  best  citizens.  I  am  glad  to  attend  the 
inaugural  meeting  of  the  campaign  —  a  meeting  of  the  free 
American  citizens  of  Chicago  — that  is  a  meeting  irrespective 
of  all  feeling  of  nationality.  I  have  been  requested  to  be 
here  to  -  night  as  a  private  citizen  to  express  my  views 
upon  the  matters  in  question.  I  represent  no  party,  I  rep- 
resent no  nationality.  I  favor  the  election  of  men  un- 
pledged to  party,  whose  character  and  ability  will  recom- 
mend them.  There  being  no  political  question  before  us,  I 
feel  as  a  private  individual  that  I  can  express  only  my  own 
sentiments,  for  which  you  are  in  no  wise  responsible.  We 
have  come  to  consult,  and  all  that  any  speaker  can  do  is  to 
present  his  own  views.  I  shall  simply  lay  down  the  principles 
which  I  think  should  govern  the  campaign.  For  what  I  say 
I  am  responsible,  and  I  shall  exact  from  the  men  for  whom 
I  vote  the  opinions  I  express.  In  the  first  place  I  shall 
oppose  combinations  of  any  nationalities  made  for  the  pur- 
pose of  obtaining  control  of  the  city  government,  and  of 
any  coalition  of  citizens  for  the  purpose  of  making  prescrip- 
tive laws.  I  believe  that  our  first  duty  is  to  our  Creator,  and 
that  every  man  should  keep  the  Sabbath  holy  ;  but  I  do  not 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  87 

see  that  this  is  inconsistent  with  the  proper  enjoyment  of 
the  day.  I  would  recommend  that  the  meeting  appoint  a 
committee,  to  co-operate  with  any  other  citizens'  movement, 
with  a  view  to  obtain  the  very  best  men  for  city  officers. 
Now,  these  are  my  private  views,  but  I  believe  they  enter 
into  the  feelings  of  the  campaign.  If  they  are  not  adopted 
by  this  meeting  they  will  still  remain  my  views. 

"  We  must  co-operate  with  all  men  who  have  the  good  of 
the  city  at  heart,  by  putting  into  the  field  a  ticket  for  which 
they  need  never  be  ashamed.  Let  us  take  no  man  from  whom 
it  would  be  necessary  to  exact  a  pledge,  no  man  who  is  not  fit 
to  be  trusted  to  the  utmost  with  the  city's  management  and 
money.  Let  us  look  around  at  the  financial  position  of  ihe 
city  and  country,  and  ask  if  it  is  a  time  to  bicker  about  pal- 
try police  regulations.  All  other  questions  must  sink  into 
insignificance  beside  the  question  of  bread — the  question  that 
will  come  home  to  the  workingmen  this  winter  —  and  that 
must  be  looked  after,  [Applause.]  It  may  be  well  for  Chicago 
to  let  her  voice  be  heard  in  the  councils  of  the  nation,  warn- 
ing the  people.  The  cotton  and  wheat  crops  alone  cannot 
be  bought  by  the  present  amount  of  circulating  medium. 
We  want  more  money.  We  do  not  say  that  the  money  is 
not  good,  but  that  we  have  not  enough  of  it,  and  we  must 
call  upon  the  government  to  supply  the  want.  It  is  true  it 
has  been  said  much  of  our  money  is  wrapped  up  in  bogus 
railway  operations;  but,  surrounded  as  we  are,  we  know  not 
where  succor  is  to  come  from.  We  must  tell  the  men  who 
hoard  up  their  greenbacks  that  they  are  bringing  ruin  upon 
us.  I  would  like  to  return  to  specie  payment,  but  we  can- 
not do  it  yet.     We  must  have  more  money  first. 


88  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

"  Thqre  is  another  question.  How  are  we  to  pay  our  taxes, 
now  a  hundred  per  cent,  higher  than  ever  before,  while  we 
are  fifty  per  cent,  less  able  to  pay  them  than  a  year  ago  ? 
Some  of  the  poor  have  judgments  against  their  property 
for  taxes,  and  it  will  be  sold.  Now,  what  do  you  think  of 
men  who  will  prate  about  what  we  should  drink  on  Sunday, 
with  such  a  state  of  things  staring  them  in  the  face  ?  I 
want  to  see  the  Sabbath  respected,  but  I  want  no  bigotry  in 
our  Sunday  laws.  I  want  every  drunken  man  arrested. 
The  proper  way  to  protect  Sunday  from  violation  is  to  pun- 
ish those  who  violate  it.  I  know  nothing  inconsistent  with 
the  law  of  God  in  listening  to  music  on  Sunday  or  any 
other  day.  We  have  music  in  our  churches  to  elevate  our 
hearts,  and  why  cannot  we  have  it  in  our  parks  and  on 
our  prairies  ?  I  am  not  in  favor  of  wholesale  liquor  selling 
on  Sunday,  but  I  want  it  done  under  proper  regulations. 

"  I  mi^ht  talk  longer,  but  there  are  other  speakers  here, 
and  they  will  entertain  you  better  than  I  can ;  and  all  I 
have  to  say  is,  indulge  in  fraternal  charity ;  abolish  all  dis- 
cord and  bickerings,  and  let  us  unite  for  a  single  purpose  — 
that  of  producing  a  good  government  for  the  rich  and 
poor." 

The  Chairman  then  read  the  following  letter  from  Gov- 
ernor Palmer : 

Springfield,  III.,  Oct.  3,  1873. 

Gentlemen  :  Your  note  inclosing  a  copy  of  a  series  of 
resolutions  adopted  by  a  meeting  in  Chicago,  and  in  which 
you  invite  me  to  be  present  at  a  mass-meeting,  to  be  held  on 
to-morrow  evening,  favorable  to  the  principles  recited  in  the 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  89 

resolutions,  is  before  me.  I  have  withheld  my  answer  until 
now,  with  the  hope  that  I  might  be  able  to  accept  your  invi- 
tation, but  I  find  that  it  will  be'impossible. 

It  affords  me  great  pleasure  to  express  my  full  concur- 
rence in  what  I  understand  to  be  the  leading  ideas  of  the 
resolutions  :  that  every  person  should  be  free  to  preserve  his 
own  happiness,  subject  only  to  such  restrictions  as  will 
afford  protection  to  the  equal  rights  of  all  others ;  that  ques- 
tions like  that  of  the  mode  of  the  observance  of  the  Sab- 
bath are  beyond  the  rightful  domain  of  legislation  ;  and  that 
every  person  should  be  permitted,  without  legal  hindrance, 
to  decide  for  himself  on  that,  as  on  all  other  days,  how  he 
shall  employ  his  time,  only  that  he  shall  not  in  any  sense 
invade  the  liberties  of  others. 

In  my  judgment  the  highest  earthly  authority  upon  all 
questions  of  personal  morals  is  each  individual  citizen,  who 
has  the  right,  subject  to  the  limitations  before  mentioned,  to 
decide  for  himself  the  extent  and  nature  of  his  own  moral 
duties.  But  it  is  due  to  my  own  estimate  of  the  character 
of  the  American  people  that  I  should  say  that  I  do  not  be- 
lieve that  there  is  any  serious  difference  among  them  as  to 
the  theory  of  personal  rights,  upon  which  our  institutions  rest, 
but  the  real  controversy  is  as  to  the  practical  application  of 
these  theories  to  the  government  of  the  great  cities,  and  to 
the  regulation  of  the  conduct  and  the  intercourse  of  their 
inhabitants.  I  have  no  faith  in  the  ministry  of  the  police 
officer  as  an  agency  for  the  promotion  of  morals.  Under 
our  system  of  municipal  government  the  authority  of  its 
local  magistracy  and  of  its  police  is  practically  absolute,  and 
the  helpless  and  feeble  are  often  outraged,  and  thousands 
are  made  criminals  by  being  first  treated  as  outlaws.  My 
best  wishes  are  with  every  movement  which  is  designed  to 
vindicate  the  rights  of  every  man  who  is  honest  and  orderly, 
and  regardful  of  the  rights  of  others,  to  do  on  all  days  that 


90  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

which  seemeth  good  in  his  own  eyes,  without  challenge  from 
any  earthly  authority  whatever. 

I  am,  very  respectfully,  John  M.  Palmer. 

General  Hermann  Lieb,  the  Hon.  A.  C.  Hesing,  the  Hon. 
Casper  Butz,  Committee. 

Several  speeches  followed. 

Then,  amid  unbounded  enthusiasm,  the  platform  of  the 
party  was  adopted  as  follows  : 

''''Resolved,  That,  in  the  present  state  of  the  public  finances, 
it  is  imperatively  necessary  that  our  city  and  county  affairs 
be  managed  in  the  most  economical  manner,  and  the  public 
monies  be  husbanded  as  carefully  and  frugally  as  possible, 
in  order  that  our  increased  municipal  taxation  be  reduced  to 
a  just  and  discriminating  government,  and  the  expenditures 
be  made,  not  for  the  benefit  of  any  particular  class,  but  for 
the  benefit  of  the  entire  community. 

''''Resolved,  That  the  education  of  the  youth  of  our  country 
is  one  of  the  most  effective  agencies  for  the  suppression  and 
prevention  of  crime  ;  that  this  object  is  much  better  attained 
by  the  instruction  of  our  children  in  the  schools  than  to 
attempt  to  enforce  morality  by  legislation. 

''''Resolved,  That  the  cause  of  temperance  is  deserving  of 
the  aid  and  assistance  of  every  good  man.  Intemperance 
in  all  things  whatever  ought  to  be  combated  with  all  suitable 
means.  But  we  hold  that  the  desirable  object  of  temperance 
can  only  be  accomplished  by  elevating  the  moral  standard 
of  the  people  through  enlightened  education,  and  not  by 
sumptuary  laws  or  special  legislation. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  recognize  the  pursuit  of  happiness  as 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  91 

one  of  the  inalienable  rights  of  the  citizen,  and  every  one 
should  be  left  free  to  exercise  his  right  without  let  or  hin- 
drance, except  under  such  restrictions  as  are  imposed  by 
constitutional  law ;  and  while  we  believe  that  on  Sunday  all 
business  and  amusements  should  be  restricted  as  in  no  mea- 
sure to  interfere  with  or  disturb  the  devotion  or  worship  of 
any  class  of  citizens,  yet  we  firmly  deny  the  right  of  any  one 
or  any  class  of  individuals  to  prescribe  how  or  in  what  man- 
ner Sunday  or  any  day  shall  be  enjoyed  by  a  free  people  in 
a  free  Republic. 

''^jResohed,  That  we  are  in  favor  of  the  passage  of  an  ordi- 
nance prohibiting  the  granting  of  licenses  to  persons  of  bad 
repute,  for  any  purpose  or  purposes  whatsoever.. 

''''Resolved,  That  there  ought  also  to  be  appointed  by  the 
proper  authorities  inspectors  of  all  beverages  sold  publicly, 
and  those  found  impure  and  deteriorated  ought  to  be  con- 
demned, and  dealers  therein  fined. 

^''Resolved,  That  we  look  with  deep  regret  and  apprehen- 
sion upon  the  demoralized  condition  of  our  Police  Depart- 
ment. Instead  of  serving  as  a  department  for  the  protection 
of  life  and  property  of  the  people,  it  has  been  used  as  an 
instrument  of  oppression  in  the  hands  of  a  class  of  preju- 
diced and  narrow-minded  men,  and  that  we  deprecate  that 
the  legitimate  duties  of  the  police  force  have  been  prosti- 
tuted to  gratify  the  intolerant  spirit  of  a  minority  faction. 

''■Resolved,  That  the  frequent  arbitrary  arrest  of  our  citi- 
zens, in  cases  where  fines  only  are  imposed  for  breach  of  city 
ordinances,  is  a  gross  outrage  and  a  violation  of  constitu- 
tional rights,  and  should  not  be  tolerated  by  a  free  and 
enlightened  people. 


92  THE    GREAT    R^EVOLUTION. 

^^Resolved,  That  we  consider  it  a  cardinal  principle  that  a 
person  should  be  held  liable  for  his  own  wrong  only;  and 
for  that  reason  we  consider  as  unjustifiable  the  statutory- 
enactment  making  the  owner  or  landlord  of  premises  which 
have  been  rented  for  lawful  pursuits  responsible  for  the  ne- 
glect or  misdemeanor  of  his  tenants,  and  for  the  same  reason 
we  demand  that  drunkards  be  held  strictly  accountable  for 
their  acts  committed  while  drunk. 

^^ Resolved,  That  the  principles  we  represent  in  our  plat- 
form and  resolutions  are  conducive  to  law  and  order ;  and 
while  we  appeal  to  the  sympathy  and  support  of  the  com- 
munity at  large,  regardless  of  all  party  affiliations,  to  endorse 
them,  and  the  action  that  we  have  deemed  proper  to  take  in 
this  municipal  contest  in  opposition  to  a  spirit  of  intoler- 
ance, we  pledge  ourselves  that  we  shall  abide  by  law  and 
order,  and  denounce  any  faction  that  arrogates  to  itself  that 
name ;  and  to  this  end  we  shall  oppose  every  candidate  for 
office  who  is  not  in  sympathy  with  the  foregoing  resolutions." 

Mr.  J.  K.  C.  Forrest  offered  the  following  as  an  additional 
declaration  of  principles  : 

"  In  view  of  the  present  demoralized  condition  of  the 
trade,  commerce  and  industry  of  the  country,  the  meeting 
held  in  the  financial  and  commercial  center  of  the  great 
Northwest  resolves : 

"i.  That  the  President  be  respectfully  requested  to 
immediately  convene 'Congress  in  extra  session,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  considering  the  advisability  of  issuing  a  sufficient 
amount  of  legal  tender  currency,  based  upon  the  deposit  of 
national  securities,   and  at  such  high  rates    of   interest  as 


HOW    IT    WAS   DONE.  93 

will  attract  it  again  to  the  Treasury  upon  the  restoration  of 
private  and.  corporate  credit.  The  great  want  at  the  present 
time  is  currency.  It  is  absurd  to  ask  the  people  to  deposit 
money  in  banks  which  do  not  pay  it  out  on  demand.  At 
the  same  time  such  deposit  of  money  merely  tends  to  intens- 
ify the  existing  stringency ;  it  simply  enables  the  banks  to 
save  themselves  at  the  expense  and  to  the  vital  injury  of  the 
manufacturing  and  mercantile  community.  The  legitimate 
and  truly  commercial  mode  of  calling  out  currency  from  its 
hiding  places  is  to  make  it  for  the  interest  of  holders  to 
part  with  it. 

"  2.  Congress  should  be  respectfully  asked  to  repeal  the 
existing  national  bankrupt  act.  A  person  with  $10,000  of 
property  other  than  money  can  now  be  compelled  to  sacri- 
fice it  for  a  debt  of  $150.  At  the  same  time  such  sacrifice, 
if  general,  will  depreciate  the  real  and  personal  property  of 
the  country  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  per  cent.  This  would 
necessarily  entail  ruin  upon  hundreds  of  thousands  of  our 
citizens. 

"  3.  Congress  should  replace  the  notes  of  national  banks 
which  have  gone  into  liquidation  with  legal-tender  money. 
This  would  save  interest  and  prevent  stringency  of  currency. 

"  4.  The  city  of  Chicago  should  promptly  issue  a  suf- 
ficient amount  of  scrip  to  keep  the  mechanics  and  laborers 
now  engaged  in  municipal  improvements  in  full  work. 

"5.  The  advertised  sale  of  city  lots  on  which  are  the 
houses  of  our  citizens,  and  on  which  tax  payments  have  not 
yet*  been  made,  should  be  postponed  until  the  city  scrip  to 
be  issued  has,  to  some  considerable  extent,  filled  the  vacuum 
caused  by  the  withdrawal  of  money  from  circulation. 


94 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


"  With  this  declaration  of  principles  we  submit  the  cause  of 
the  People's  Party  to  our  citizens  of  all  religions  and  nation- 
alities." 

When  considerable  routine  business  had  been  done,  vehe- 
ment cries  brought  forth  Mr.  A.  C.  Hesing,  who  spoke  as 
follows : 

"  Fellow  Citizens  :  I  shall  entertain  you  only  for  a  few 
minutes,  and  I  will  say  that  I  never  intended  to  say  a  word 
here  to-night.  But,  as  I  have  been  called  upon  several  times, 
I  come  forward  to  give  you  my  sentiments  in  regard  to  this 
present  movement.  We  are  here  to-night  for  the  purpose  of 
organizing  a  party  which  shall  bring  us  law  and  order  in 
this  city ;  which  shall  respect  life  and  property,  and  give  us  a 
chance,  give  the  poor  a  chance  —  you,  the  laboring  classes 
of  this  community,  at  least  the  right  to  enjoy  yourselves 
according  to  the  dictation  of  your  consciences.  [Applause.] 
Now,  gentlemen,  I  recollect  the  time  in  this  city,  and  in 
other  places,  when  the  people  —  when  these  very  same  news- 
papers—  were  very  glad  to  hear  occasionally  from  your  hum- 
ble servant  who  is  now  before  you.  I  recollect  the  time  — 
and  it  is  not  very  long  since  —  when  the  gentleman  whom  I 
now  see  here  to-night  before  me,  who  said  to-day  :  "Who 
would  have  anything  to  do  with  that  crowd  that  would 
assemble  at  Kingsbury  hall  to-night.?" — when  he  begged 
me  to  come  to  the  Thirteenth  ward  and  give  him  a  speech 
to  help  elect  General  Grant  and  the  Republican  ticket.  I 
recollect  the  time  when  this  same  abused  man  who  stands 
here  before  you,  when  a  boy,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  opened 
his  mouth  and  lifted  his  voice  for  the  liberty  of  an  oppressed 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  95 

• 

race  in  this  country.     And  to-day  I  stand  here  to  obtain  lib- 
erty for  the  oppressed  who  are  here  before  me.      I  recollect 
the  time  when  these  newspapers  called  upon  Mr.  Hesing  to 
organize  war  clubs  to  fill  our  regiments  —  to  induce  men  to 
leave  their  families  —  to  induce  them  to  take  up  their  mus- 
kets and  go  to  the  war,  and  fight  the  battles  for  these  nabobs 
who  now  try  to  oppress  us.     Where  would  that  glorious  ban- 
ner be  which  floats  over  us  in  this  hall  if  it  had  not  been  for 
you  who  rescued  it  from  the  hands  of  those  robbers  ?     [Ap- 
plause.]    They  say  that   "  the  foreigners  want  to  dictate  to 
us."     These  same  men  were  not  yet  born  when  I  went  on 
the  stump  to  speak  for  this  great  nation,  and  for  American 
liberty,  and  liberty  for  all.     [Applause.]     It  is  more  than  a 
third  of  a  century  since  I  landed  in  Baltimore  —  it  is  thirty- 
four  years  ago  that  I  set  my  foot  on  this  soil,  and  to-day  I 
am  yet  called  a  foreigner  by  this  villainous  press  of  the  city 
of  Chicago.     [Unusual  applause.]     I  claim  to  be  an  Amer- 
ican citizen  as  much  as  anyone.     And  if  I  were  in  the  City 
Council  I  would  not  go  there  to  put  my  books  that  I  printed 
into  the  public  schools,  as  some  men  who  now  pray  for  law 
and  order  do.     I   have  been  in  these  Republican  conven- 
tions, but  I  have  always   opened  my  mouth  in  defence  of 
right  and  justice  as  against  corruption.  .  There  is  not  a  man 
in   this  city  who   can  say  to  my  face  that  I  have  ever  sup- 
ported a  corrupt  man  for  office  —  that  I  have  ever  raised  my 
voice  for  a  corrupt  man  for  any  position.     When  my  native 
American  friends  had  not  the  courage  to  put  a  corrupt  aspi- 
rant aside,   they  would  generally  call   upon   me   and   say: 
"  You  have  the  courage,  Hesing,  step  forward  and  put  him 


96  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

off;  "  and  I  generally  stepped  forward  and  put  him  off  the 
ticket.  [Applause.]  In  1869,  when  those  same  reformers 
thought  that  the  Germans  were  getting  too  much  influence, 
they  tried  to  put  them  down,  and  what  was  the  result  ?  That 
law  and  order  Council  of  1869,  were  indicted.  [Cries  of 
"  Good  !  "  and  great  applause.]  Now,  gentlemen,  I  have  as 
much  interest  in  the  city  of  Chicago  as  any  other  man.  I 
have  lived  here  since  1854.  I  have  my  business  here,  which 
I  have  to  take  care  of. 

"  Gentlemen,  these  men  who  have  built  their  churches,  not 
with  their  own  money,  but  with  the  money  of  the  poor,  pray 
that  they  alone  may  have  liberty.  They  think  no  one  else 
is  entitled  to  liberty  and  the  pursuit  of  happiness.  I  say 
that  God  knows  he  bestowed  freedom  and  the  rights  of  the 
pursuit  of  happiness  upon  every  one. 

"  I  tell  you  now,  once  for  all,  that  I  shall  not  support  any 
man  who  can  be  charged  with  corruption,  or  has  any  of  these 
steals  sticking  to  his  fingers.  [Applause.]  I  want  an  hon- 
est administration.  I  want  a  just  administration.  I  want 
an  administration  that  will  give  us  law  and  order  not  only 
on  Sunday,  but  on  every  day  in  the  week.  I  am  in  favor  of 
respecting  those  who  attend  church,  and  I  believe  that 
others  should  be.  I  think  their  worship  should  not  be 
interrupted  by  any  parades  on  the  streets,  with  music  and 
banners,  on  Sunday.  That  is  the  platform  on  which  I  stand, 
and  on  which  I  always  stood.  I  am  in  favor  of  nominating 
a  man  for  the  Mayoralty  like  S.  S.  Hayes,  for  instance.  A 
man  like  Thomas  Hoyne  —  a  manlike  Rountree,  if  he  wants 
it  —  representative  men,  like  a  hundred  others  I  could  name ; 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  97 

but  I  am  not  in  favor  of  men  who  call  conventions  to  have 
God  Almighty  represented  in  the  Constitution  of  this  coun- 
try. I  believe  that  God  Almighty  is  represented  in  the 
hearts  of  those  humble  men  who  stand  here  before  me.  I 
believe  He  has  very  little  to  do  with  men  like  Colfax  or  Pat- 
terson ;  I  am  not  in  favor  of  a  party  of  men  who  will  sup- 
port such  men  for  office. 

"  I  tell  you,  gentlemen,  this  is  not  the  first  time  that  the 
humble  classes,  the  hard-working  mechanics  and  artisans, 
have  had  to  take  the  reins  in  their  own  hands ;  and  when 
the  Chicago  Jour?ial  says  to-night  that  '.the  bummers  will 
meet  in  Kingsbury  hall,'  I  say  it  insults  the  20,000  ballots 
here  represented.  [Applause.]  They  say  we  can  't  win ; 
the  '  Law  and  Order'  men  must  win.  I  think  we  are  the 
Law  and  Order  party;  and  I  say  it  myself,  like  Mr.  Caul- 
field,  that  if  anyone  gets  drunk  on  Sunday,  or  on  any  other 
day,  he  should  be  arrested  and  punished,  but  I  cannot  ad- 
mire or  agree  with  the  man  who  goes  to  church  on  Sunday, 
and  prays,  and  goes  the  next  day  on  the  Board  of  Trade, 
and  swindles  his  colleagues  there  out  of  so  many  bushels  of 
grain.  [Applause.]  I  say  when  a  man  keeps  a  disorderly 
house  he  should  be  shut  up ;  but  I  say,  too,  that  a  man 
should  not  be  sent  twice  to  shut  up  a  small  saloon,  while  no 
one  interferes  with  a  dance-house  on  Clark  street.  I  believe 
in  dealing  justice  to  every  man  alike.  Let  us  to-night  de- 
termine that  we  will  have  an  orderly  city,  with  no  sympathy 
with  criminals,  and  justice  to  all.  I  want  the  law  to  take  its 
course  in  every  instance;  crime  punished  according  to  the 
law,  and  no  pardons.  I  want  every  law  executed,  not  only 
7 


98  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

that  against  Sunday  beer  selling.  The  administration  of 
this  city  government  has  been  a  curse  to  us  for  two  years, 
and  I  believe  we  can  elect  a  man  like  our  old  Mayors,  who 
will  execute  the  laws  as  they  should  be.  Be  united,  and  we 
can  elect  anything.  Let  them  scold  us,  call  us  bummers, 
tax-eaters,  tax-fighters,  and  all  the  names  they  please.  I  say 
that  no  man  in  this  house  ever  fought  a  tax  in  his  life.  You 
can  name  no  German  in  this  city  that  ever  refused  to  pay  a 
tax.  It  is  these  men  who  preach  the  gospel,  and  pray  at 
their  meetings,  and  cry  '  Law  and  Order '  at  the  corners  of 
the  streets,  Avho  jump  their  taxes,  and  cheat  the  city  out  of 
what  they  owe  it.  They  are  not  able  to  pay  their  taxes, 
although  they  have  caused  them,  and  they  never  will  be. 

"  I  have  worked  hard  in  this  cause,  notwithstanding  the 
'  Law  and  Order  '  people  have  said  it  would  be  a  fizzle,  and 
said  that  the  people  had  no  confidence  in  Hesing  or  O'Hara, 
or  Herr  Von  Hara  and  O'Hesing,  as  the  papers  put  it.  We 
have  fired  the  first  cannon  to-night,  and  its  echoes  will  ring 
throughout  the  campaign.  We  have  filled  two  halls,  and 
5,000  people  have  stood  at  the  door  unable  to  get  in.  Does 
this  look  like  a  fizzle  .''  Does  this  look  as  if  the  people  had 
no  confidence  in  Hesing  and  O'Hara  .''  Search  the  poor 
man's  heart  and  show  him  how  he  is  oppressed,  how  his 
comforts  and  luxuries  are  stolen  from  him,  and  he  will  fight 
his  oppressors.  The  '  Law  and  Order  '  people  are  your 
oppressors.  They  give  you  no  cheap  concerts  and  lectures 
to  educate  you  ;  they  will  not  even  let  you  go  to  the  Expo- 
sition on  the  day  when  you  can  dress  up  and  appear  like 
them,  but  they  go  there  whenever  they  please  and  make  you 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  99 

and  their  clerks  do  their  work.  They  go  there  and  look  at 
the  machinery  and  furniture  and  fabrics  you  have  made  at 
wages  of  a  dollar  and  a  half  a  day.  I  ask  Dr.  Kittredge  or 
Dr.  Fowler,  who  preach  morality  and  try  to  crowd  their 
words  down  our  throats,  to  lay  their  hands  on  their  hearts 
and  answer  if  it  is  right  for  them  to  rob  the  poor  of  their 
privileges.  I  ask  them  what  harm  there  is  if,  after  you  have 
been  working  hard  in  a  dirty,  dusty  shop  all  the  week,  you 
go  to  Lincoln  Park  on  Sunday  with  your  wives  and  babies  to 
breathe  a  little  of  the  fresh  air  the  Lord  they  pray  to  has 
made  .-*  I  ask  them  what  harm  it  would  be  for  you  to  hear 
music  there  as  they  hear  it  in  their  churches  ?  I  ask  them 
what  harm  there  is  if,  when  you  return,  you  take  a  glass  of 
lager  or  wine  to  refresh  you  .''  You  are  a  pack  of  slaves  if 
you  suffer  laws  that  prohibit  this,  and  if  I  have  to  vote  alone 
on  the  5  th  of  November  I  shall  cast  my  vote  to  relieve  you 
of  this  oppression  they  have  cast  upon  you." 

The  nominating  convention  met  at  205  East  Randolph 
street,  on  October  24. 

Mr.  Greenebaum  presided;  Mr.  T.  M.  Halpine  served  as 
Secretary;  and  Mr.  J.  J.  Crowley  assisted. 

Mr.  Greenebaum  said  : — 

"  Gentlemen,  Delegates  :  A  narrow-minded,  uncatholic 
religious  spirit,  originating  with  over-zealous  and  irresponsi- 
ble persons,  has  forced  an  issue  of  proscription  and  intoler- 
ance upon  the  community  which  unfortunately,  or  fortunately, 
perhaps,  divides  the  sovereign  voters  at  the  approaching  mu- 
nicipal election.     An  immense  mass  meeting  of  the  people, 


lOO  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

without  distinction  of  party,  religion  or  nationality,  have 
delegated  you  gentlemen  to  nominate  candidates  for  the 
various  offices  to  be  filled  at  the  approaching  election,  solely 
upon  their  personal  fitness,  their  honesty,  and  ability  to  serve 
public  interest.  It  is  necessary  for  me  to  urge  upon  you  to 
discharge  faithfully  the  high  trust  imposed  upon  you.  You 
will  enter  upon  the  work  before  you  as  the  selected  repre- 
sentatives of  the  great  People's  Party.  In  a  spirit  of  har- 
mony and  rectitude  you  will  make  all  personal  preferences 
subservient  to  the  general  good,  and  nominate  a  ticket  that 
will  be  overwhelmingly  sustained  at  the  polls,  and  avert  the 
impending  danger  of  placing  the  control  of  the  city  in  the 
hands  of  speculative  office-seekers  and  bankrupts." 

Mr.  A.  C.  Hesing  offered  the  following  resolutions,  which 
were  adopted : 

"  That  this  convention  emphatically  endorse  the  platform 
of  principles  adopted  by  the  people's  mass  meeting  at  Kings- 
bury Hall,  October  4,  believing  that  platform  to  be  a  true 
expression  of  the  fundamental  doctrines  underlying  the 
structure  of  a  free  government,  and  a  legitimate  protest 
against  all  efforts  to  make  sectarianism  and  class  legislation 
prevalent  in  our  public  affairs. 

"  That  as  long  as  our  people,  discarding  the  sub-treasury 
system,  expect  that  the  temporary  balances  in  our  city  and 
county  treasuries  shall  draw  interest,  and  so  long  as  it  is 
thereby  admitted  that  such  public  moneys  may  be  made  use 
of  by  the  banks  with  whom  they  are  deposited,  for  all  those 
purposes  which  they  may  consider  as  legitimate ;  the  risk 
incurred  thereby  on  behalf  of  the  tax-payers,  and  the  temp- 


HOW    IT    WAS    DONE.  lOI 

tation  which  treasurers  may  be  led  into,  are  so  obvious  that 
the  public  interests  require  a  strict  adherence  to  the  one-term 
principle  in  regard  to  the  office  of  custodian  of  such  public 
moneys. 

"  That  this  convention  recommend  to  the  Mayor  to  be 
elected  the  appointment  of  S.  S.  Hayes  as  City  Comptroller, 
since  it  would  be  difficult  to  find,  among  our  citizens,  one 
who,  by  his  wide  financial  experience,  his  thorough  business 
capacity,  and  the  sterling  integrity  of  his  character,  is  so 
well  fitted  for  an  office  which,  in  view  of  the  present  finan- 
cial embarrassment,  is  one  of  the  most  important  and  res- 
ponsible in  our  municipal  administration." 

Mr.  F.  H.  Winston  offered  the  following,  which  was 
adopted  unanimously : 

"  Resolved.  That  the  representatives  of  the  people  of  the 
city  of  Chicago  and  of  the  county  of  Cook,  here  assembled, 
do  declare  as  one  of  our  cardinal  principles,  for  the  main- 
tenance of  which  we  pledge  ourselves  and  the  candidates  for 
whom  we  propose  to  cast  our  suffrages,  that  we  favor  and 
shall  demand  and  insist  upon  the  most  rigid  economy,  as 
well  as  scrupulous  honesty,  in  the  expenditure  of  the  pub- 
lic money  of  the  city  and  county,  to  the  end  that  the  present 
oppressive  and  almost  unbearable  burden  of  taxation  may  be 
lightened,  and  not  increased ;  and  that  we  demand  that  all 
extravagant  schemes  for  public  buildings  to  be  erected  for 
the  purpose  of  glorifying  architects  and  enriching  contrac- 
tors shall  be  at  least  postponed  until  demanded  by  the  neces- 
sities of  the  public  or  to  give  our  laborers  necessary  employ- 
ment;   and    that  we   pledge   our   candidates  to   cheerfully 


I02  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION 

accept  the  accommodations  now  provided  for  the  trans- 
action of  public  business  of  the  offices  to  which  we  propose 
to  elect  them." 

A.  C.  Hesing  asked  permission  to  introduce  the  following 
from  the  Democratic  Central  Committee  : 

"  We  the  undersigned,  members  of  the  Liberal  and  Dem- 
ocratic Central  and  Executive  Committees  of  Cook  County, 
hereby  certify  that  we  have  not  authorized  any  person  for  us 
to  pledge  the  support  of  the  party,  as  a  party,  to  what  is 
known  as  the  "  Grand  Pacific  Hotel "  nominations,  or  to 
any  other  nominations,  made  or  to  be  made;  and  believing 
it  inexpedient  to  make  any  nominations  as  a  party  at  this 
time,  we  leave  to  all  persons  the  privilege  of  supporting  such 
candidates  in  this  local  election  as  their  judgment  and  con- 
sciences may  dictate. 

"And  we  may  say  that  we  beheld  with  surprise  the  announce- 
ment in  the  papers  that  parts  of  our  committee  had  partici- 
pated in,  and  indorsed,  the  said  Grand  Pacific  Hotel  nomi- 
nations ;  and  we  further  say  that  neither  of  the  three  named 
persons  who  pretended  to  represent  the  party  at  the  Grand 
Pacific  Hotel  are  members  of  the  Liberal  and  Pemocratic 
Central  Committee  of  Cook  county,  and  consequently  have 
no  authority  to  pledge  the  party  to  any  nominations  except 

as  private  individuals.  "  Ch.  Koehler. 

"  Jacob  D.  Felthausen, 
"  Robert  Kenney, 
"  Edward  Kehoe, 
"  Albert  Michelson, 

"  Democratic'Central  Committee  of  Cook  County." 

"Chicago,  Oct.  24.  1873." 


HOW    IT    WAS   DONE.  103 

The  communication  was  accepted  and  placed  on  the 
records  of  the  convention. 

The  following  nominations  were  then  made : 

For  Mayor,  H.  D.  Colvin. 

For  City  Treasurer,  Daniel  O'Hara. 

For  City  Collector,  George  von  Hollen. 

For  City  Assessor,  Charles  Dennehy, 

For  Superior  Court  Judge,  S.  M.  Moore. 

For  County  Court  Judge,  M.  R.  M.  Wallace. 

For  County  Clerk,  Hermann  Leib. 

For  Clerk  Criminal  Court,  Austin  J.  Doyle. 

For  County  Treasurer,  H.  B.  Miller. 

Then  followed  the  nominations  of  George  D.  Plant, 
County  Superintendent  of  Schools;  Christian  Busse,  John 
Herting,  William  P.  Burdick,  Thomas  Lonergan,  and  A.  B. 
Johnson,  County  Commissioners. 

Mr.  Mark  Sheridan,  having  been  called  upon,  named  as 
Commissioner,  C.  A.  Reno,  for  the  West  Side.  This  gentle- 
man was  nominated. 

On  Monday,  October  28,  Egbert  Jamieson  was  selected 
for  City  Attorney;  and  Martin  Scully,  for  Police  Clerk. 

The  disposition  of  the  other  offices  followed. 


HOW  THE  OPPOSITION  WORKED. 


When  it  had  definitely  been  ascertained  what  the  People's 
Party  was,  and  what  policy  it  would  pursue,  the  cry  of  the 
Opposition  was,  "  Anything  to  beat  the  Hesing-O'Hara  com- 
bination." To  effect  this,  one  of  the  strangest  fusions  was 
formed  that  has  ever  been  recorded. 

On  Saturday,  Oct.  i8th,  1873,  in  the  Grand  Pacific,  the 
fusionists,  after  great  confusion,  met  and  nominated  the  fol- 
lowing gentlemen  : 

For  Mayor,  L.  L.  Bond, 

For  City  Treasurer,  David  A.  Gage. 

For  City  Collector,  A.  L.  Morrison. 

For  City  Assessor,  W.  H.  P.  Gray. 

For  City  Attorney,  I.  N.  Stiles. 

For  Police  Court  Clerk,  K.  R.  Matson. 

For  Judge  of  Superior  Court,  Wm.  H.  Porter. 

For  Judge  of  County  Court,  M.  R.  M.  Wallace. 

For  County  Clerk,  J.  W.  Brockway. 

For  Clerk  of  Criminal  Court,  W.  K.  Sullivan, 

For  County  Treasurer,  Phillip  Wadsworth. 

For  Superintendent  of  Schools,  A.  G.  Lane. 

For  County  Commissioners,  Messrs.  S.  Olin,  A,  J, 
Galloway,  Wm.  M.  Laughlin,  W.  B.  Bateham,  S. 
W.  Kingsley. 

For  Police  Commissioner,  Reuben  Cleveland. 


HOW    THE    OPPOSITION    AVORKED.  105 

On  October  23,  at  Kingsbury  Hall,  the  Committee  of 
Seventy  indorsed  the  Grand  Pacific  nominations.* 

Prior  to  the  nomination  of  Bond  for  Mayor,  the  following 
letter  and  reply  were  read  : 

Chicago,  Oct.  22,  1873. 
Hon.  L.  L.  Bond: 

Dear  Sir :  You  have  been  requested  by  a  respectable 
body  of  citizens  to  become  a  candidate  for  the  office  of 
Mayor  at  the  approaching  municipal  election.  The  repre- 
sentatives of  Law  and  Order  will  have  a  convention  to- 
morrow for  the  nomination  of  candidates  to  be  supported 
by  them  at  that  election.  The  office  of  Mayor  is  the  most 
important  one  to  be  filled.  We  wish  the  best  man,  regard- 
less of  nationality,  creed,  or  party,  for  the  place  —  one  who 
is  in  accord  with  our  principles.  They  demand  that  there 
shall  be  honesty  and  strict  economy  in  the  management  of 
our  finances,  to  the  end  that  all  expenditures  be  limited  to 
the  actual  needs  of  the  people,  and  that  taxation  be  light- 
ened as  much  as  possible. 

We  demand  that  the  laws  shall  be  enforced  for  the  protec- 
tion of  life  and  property.  We  claim  that  the  protection  of 
every  member  of  society,  regardless  of  age,  sex  or  condi- 
tion, in  person,  property  and  freedom,  is  the  supreme  object 
and  duty  of  government. 

We  claim  that  every  person  has  a  right,  so  far  as  human 
law  is  concerned,  to  his  own  opinions,  and  to  act  upon  them 
as  he  shall  deem  best,  and  to  engage  in  any  lawful  traffic, 
and  to  all  the  guaranties  which  the  law  affords  for  its  con- 
duct and  management. 

But  upon  the  question  of  what  kinds  and  modes  of  traffic 

*  Here  it  may  be  stated  that  an  error  heretofore  ascribed  the  construc- 
tion of  the  Grand  Pacific  Ticket  to  the  Committee. 


Io6  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

are  injurious  to  the  citizen,  as  promoters  of  disorder,  igno- 
rance, pauperism  and  crime,  and  consequent  unnecessary 
taxation,  the  aggregate  will  of  the  people  is  supreme,  and 
must  be  obeyed ;  and  to  be  specific  on  this  point,  we  insist 
that  the  saloons  shall  be  closed  on  Sundays;  that  the 
licenses  of  those  who  violate  the  law  shall  be  revoked ;  that 
the  keepers  of  these  establishments  be  required  to  give 
bonds,  as  required  by  law,  with  good  security,  for  the  pro- 
tection and  indemnity  of  those  who  suffer  from  violation  of 
the  law ;  and  that  the  law  be  enforced  by  a  faithful  and  effi- 
cient police,  to  the  end  that  crime  may  be  diminished,  and 
public  order  maintained. 

We  respectfully  ask  if  the  principles  we  have  announced 
meet  with  your  approval.  If  they  do,  we  pledge  to  you 
such  a  support  as,  we  believe,  will  secure  your  nomination 
and  triumphant  election,  with  a  result  which  will  give  to  our 
city  a  character  and  attitude  she  is  entitled  to  possess  and 
to  occupy  before  the  world.     By  order  of  Committee, 

S.  B.  GOOKINS. 
MAYOR  bond's  REPLY. 

Mayor's  Office,  Chicago,  Oct.  22,  1873. 

The  Hon.  S.  B.  Gookins. 

Dear  Sir :  Your  letter  of  to-day  is  at  hand,  and  in  reply 
I  have  to  say  that  if  the  people  assign  to  me  the  duties 
appertaining  to  the  office  of  Mayor,  I  shall  earnestly  en- 
deavor to  have  all  the  financial  interests  of  the  city  honestly 
and  economically  administered,  and  to  that  end  will  do  all 
the  Mayor  can  do. 

With  regard  to  the  other  points,  I  have  to  say  that  no 
executive  officer  can  stand  in  any  other  position  than  that 
contained  in  the  oath  of  office  —  "  that  he  will  faithfully  and 
impartially  execute  all  of  the  laws  to  the  extent  of  his 
ability,"  and  in  the  discharge  of  his  duties  protect  all  citi- 


HOW    THE    OPPOSITION    WORKED.  107 

zens  in  their  personal  and  property  rights,  and  in  the  prose- 
cution of  all  lawful  business  enterprises,  regardless  of  the 
condition  of  such  persons. 

As  this  is  the  effect  of  the  oath,  and  the  position  of  an 
executive  officer,  it  is  apparent  that  I  cannot  make  an 
exception  of  the  Sunday  law,  and  this  necessarily  includes 
the  exercise  of  all  lawful  means  for  its  enforcement. 

It  is  my  purpose  to  devote  my  whole  energies,  if  elected, 
to  secure  such  a  government  as  will  promote  the  safety, 
honor  and  welfare  of  the  whole  people,  and  to  maintain  the 
good  name  and  credit  of  our  city.  No  man  can  do  more 
than  Hiis,  and  no  honorable  man  can  do  less. 

Lester  L.  Bond. 

The  reading  occasioned  loud  and  prolonged  applause. 

On  October  29  Mr.  Joseph  P.  Clarkson  was  nominated 
for  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court,  vice  Judge  Porter,  who  died 
a  short  time  subsequent  to  his  nomination. 


THE  OFFICIAL  RETURNS. 


The  People's  ticket  made  a  clean  sweep.  In  the  County 
it  elected  a  Judge  of  the  Superior  Court ;  a  Judge  of  the 
County  Court ;  a  Clerk  of  the  County  Court ;  a  Clerk  of 
the  Criminal  Court;  a  County  Treasurer;  a  Superintend- 
ent of  Schools ;  five  County  Commissioners ;  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Equalization,  and  a  Police  Commissioner. 

The  following  are  the  official  returns  in  totals  of  votes 
given  in  the  County  of  Cook  and  State  of  Illinois,  at  an 
election  held  in  said  County  on  Tuesday,  the  4th  day  of 
November,  A.D.  1873.  The  candidates  in  italics  were 
elected : 

Judge  of  Superior  Court. —  S.  M.  Moore.  32,019  votes. 
Joseph  P.  Clarkson,  21,167. 

Judge  of  County  Court.  —  M.  jR.  M.    Wallace,  53,417. 
Placed  on  both  tickets. 

Clerk  of  County  Court, —  Hermann  Lieb,  31,156.    James 
W.  Brockway,  22,046. 

Clerk  of  Criminal  Court. —  Austin  Doyle,  33,031,    W,  K, 
Sullivan,  20,163. 

County  Treasurer. —  H.  B.  Miller,  31,941.    Philip  Wads- 
worth,  21,106. 


THE     OFFICIAL     RETURNS.  IO9 

Superintendent  of  Schools.  —  George  D.  Plant,  31,248. 
A.  G.  Lane,  21,839. 

County  Commissioners.  —  Christian  Busse,  30,837/  A.  B. 
Johnson,  31,846/  Thomas  Loner gan,  31,976;  Wm.  B. 
Burdick,  31,629;  John  IIerti?ig,  31,784  E.  A.  Lynn, 
20,999;  S.  W.  Kingsley,  21,782;  W.  B.  Bateham,  21,340  ; 
Wm.  M.  Laughlin,  21,557;  A.J.  Galloway,  21,626. 

Members  of  State  Board  of  Equalization.  —  S.  S. 
Gardner,  10,673.     R-  P-  Derrickson,  9,173. 

Police  Commissioners. —  Chas.  A.  Reno,  27,148.  R.  Cleve- 
land, 18,729. 

Messrs.  Thomas  Cannon  and  Max  Eberhardt  were  elected 
as  County  Justices  ;  but  the  Governor  refused  to  commission 
on  the  ground  of  the  non-existence  of  any  such  ofifice. 

In  the  City. —  The  ticket  carried  the  Mayor,  the  City 
Treasurer,  the  City  Attorney,  the  City  Collector,  the  City 
Assessor,  the  Clerk  of  the  Police  Court,  and  the  great  ma- 
jority among  the  Aldermen. 

The  following  are  the  official  returns  : 

Mayor. —  H.  D.  Colvin,  28,791.     L.  L.  Bond,  18,540. 

City  Treasurer. —  Daniel  O'Hara,  28,761.  D.  A.  Gage, 
18,629. 

City  Attorney. —  Egbert  Jamieson,  28,586.  Thomas  J. 
Turner,  18,636. 

City  Collector. —  George  Von  Hollen,  28,590.  A.  L,  Mor- 
rison, 18,560. 

City  Assessor. —  Chas.  Dennehy,  28,570.  Wm.  B.  H.  Gray, 
18,705. 

Clerk  of  Police  Court, —  Martin  Scully,  27,544.  K.  R. 
Matson,  19,240, 


no  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

As  to  the  Aldermen,  the  following  are  the  official  returns  : 

First  Ward. —  Foley,  501.     Lyons,  478. 

Second  Ward. —  Dixon,  666.     Reid,  285. 

Third  Ward. — Fitzgerald,  1,700.  McGenniss,  984;  Thomas, 

348. 
Fourth  Ward. —  Spalding,  1,735.     McArthur,  688. 
Fifth  Ward. —  Stone,  1,805.     James,  938. 
Sixth  Ward. —  Reidy,  2,212.     Tracy,  984;  Conley,  149. 
Seventh  Ward. —  CulUrton,  2,204.     Millard,  299. 
Eighth  Ward. —  Hildreth,  i,6?>'].     Fleming,  848  ;  McDon- 
ald, 695. 
Ninth  Ward. —  Bailey,  1,547.     Powell,  1,422;  Clark,  510; 

Ryan,  338. 
Tenth    Ward. —  Woodman,    1,384.       Greenebaum,    672  ; 

Eaton,  206. 
Eleventh  Ward. —  White,  1,136.     Walsh,  809;  Ferguson, 

89. 
Twelfth  Ward. —  Heath,  1,543.     Courtney,  585. 
Thirteenth   Ward.  —  Campbell,    1,233.     Sherwood,    853; 

White,  292. 
Fourteenth  Ward. —  Cleveland,  1,127.     Turtle,  877. 
Fifteenth   Ward. —  McGrath,    2,874.       Casselman,   454; 

Brown,  235. 
Sixteenth  Ward. —  Stout,  2,162.     Hawkinson,  460. 
Seventeenth  Ward. —  Lengacher,  2,454.     Pfolstrom,  211. 
Eighteenth  Ward. —  Murphy ,  \ ,oo-] .    Handly,  606  ;  Bean, 

455  ;  Barrett,  96. 
Nineteenth  Ward. —  Lynch,  540.     Greeley,  198. 
Twentieth  Ward. —  Jonas,  837.      Harvey,  494;     Kehoe, 

283. 


THE  SUNDAY  QUESTION. 


Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  platform  adopted  at 
Kingsbury  Hall  clearly  foreshadowed  the  attitude  of  the 
Mayor  and  Aldermen  elected  on  the  People's  ticket,  the 
Great  Defeated  yet  awaited,  in  suspense,  any  opportunity  that 
might  arise  to  cause  the  total  suppression  of  the  sale  of 
liquor  on  the  Sabbath. 

Accordingly,  when  the  temperance  fever  that  had  sud- 
denly visited  the  "praying  women  "  of  Ohio  reached  Chi- 
cago, the  advocates  of  the  idea  that  principally  caused  their 
discomfiture  and  total  rout  at  the  polls  in  November,  1873, 
favored  an  organization  of  "  praying  women  "  in  Chicago. 

Throughout  Ohio  and  other  states  the  bands  of  "praying 
women,"  among  other  resorts  adopted,  visited  places  where 
liquor  was  sold,  and  besought  the  proprietors  to  close  their 
institutions.  To  attempt  any  such  thing  in  Chicago  was 
utter  folly;  a  few  venturesome  ladies  demonstrated  the  fact 
in  a  very  brief  time. 

A  strong  organization  was,  nevertheless,  subsequently 
formed,  with  the  object  of  causing  the  closing  of  saloons  on 
Sunday.  To  attain  this  end,  it  was  deemed  best  to  present 
a  petition  to  the  Council,  as  numerously  signed  as  possible. 
Armed   with  this,  it  was   quite   absurdly  hoped   that   the 


112  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

"  praying  women  "  might  move  to  accede  to  their  request  a 
Council  in  which  the  People's  Party  was  represented  by  a 
majority  of  about  twenty-five  to  fifteen. 

On  Friday,  March  13,  the  first  movement  of  importance 
was  inaugurated,  in  the  Methodist  Church  block.  On  this 
occasion  it  was  resolved,  by  the  votes  of  about  six  hundred 
ladies,  to  approach  the  Common  Council,  assembled  in  ses- 
sion, and  entreat  them  to  pass  an  ordinance  in  conformity 
with  their  wishes.  Several  clergymen  santioned  the  proceed- 
ings with  their  presence.  On  the  Sunday  following,  and 
preceding  the  day  upon  which  the  visit  was  to  be  made,  sev- 
eral meetings  were  held  in  sympathy  with  the  Sunday  saloon 
closing  idea ;  among  others,  a  meeting  in  the  First  Baptist 
church.     Several  ministers'  meetings  followed. 

The  ladies,  thus  strengthened  in  their  crusade,  met  in  the 
Methodist  Church  block,  and  appointed  a  committee  to  pre- 
sent their  petition  to  the  Council.  At  the  session,  Rev. 
Arthur  Mitchell  presented  a  resolution,  adopted  at  the  min- 
isters' meeting,  in  earnest  support  of  the  ladies. 

The  resolution  was  received  with  enthusiasm. 

The  ladies  forming  the  delegation  to  the  Council  now  set 
out  upon  their  mission.  Reaching  the  Council  Chamber, 
they  found  a  miscellaneous  gathering  of  men  and  boys 
attracted  by  the  novel  demonstration.  There  was  certainly 
a  rough  element  in  the  crowd  —  partaking  considerably  of 
the  nature  of  such  assemblages  as  have  been  noted  wherever 
in  the  country  the  "  praying  women  "  have  been  at  work. 
Whatever  of  insult  that  element  was  guilty  of  can  hardly 
reflect  discredit  upon  the  Board  of  Aldermen. 


THE    SUNDAY    QUESTION,  113 

After  the  transaction  of  some  routine  business,  the  peti- 
tion of  the  ladies  was  presented  to  the  CounciL 

Considerable  discussion  followed.  Finally,  Aid.  Culler- 
ton  moved  the  passage  of  the  engrossed  ordinance,  as  fol- 
lows : 

An  Ordinance  amending  section  one  (i),  chapter  fifty  (50), 
and  section  three  (3),  chapter  twenty-eight  (28),  of  the 
revised  ordinances. 
Be  it  ordained  by  the  Common  Council  of  the  City  of  Chicago : 
Section  i.  The  Mayor  is  hereby  authorized  to  grant  li- 
censes for  the  sale  of  spirituous,  vinous,  and  fermented 
liquors  to  any  person  who  shall  apply  to  him  in  writing, 
upon  said  person  furnishing  sufficient  evidence  to  satisfy 
him  that  he  or  she  is  a  person  of  good  character,  and  upon 
such  person  executing  to  the  city  of  Chicago  a  bond,  with 
at  least  two  sureties,  to  be  approved  by  the  Mayor,  in  the 
penal  sum  of  five  hundred  dollars  ($500),  conditioned  that 
the  licensed  party  shall  faithfully  observe  and  keep  all  ordi- 
nances now  in  force,  or  hereafter  to  be  passed,  during  the 
period  of  such  license,  and  that  he  will  keep  closed  all  doors 
opening  out  upon  any  street  from  the  bar,  or  room  where 
such  liquors  are  sold,  on  Sunday,  and  that  all  windows 
opening  upon  any  street  from  such  bar,  or  room  where  such 
liquors  are  sold,  shall  be  provided  with  blinds,  shutters,  or 
curtains,  on  Sundays,  so  as  to  obstruct  the  view  from  such 
streets  into  such  rooms,  and  paying  for  the  use  of  the  city 
fifty- two  dollars  ($52)  and  no  other  fees.  On  compliance 
with  these  requirements  a  license  shall  be  issued  to  the  ap- 
plicant, under  the  corporate  seal,  signed  by  the  Mayor,  and 
countersigned  by  the  Clerk,  which  shall  authorize  the  per- 
son or  persons  therein  named  to  sell,  barter,  give  away,  or 
deliver  wines  and  other  liquors,  whether  vinous,  or  ardent, 
or  fermented,  in  quantities  less  than  one  gallon,  in  the  place 


1 14  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

designated  in  the  application ;  provided,  all  licenses  issued  in 
pursuance  hereof  shall  expire  on  the  istday  of  July  in  each 
year. 

Sec.  2.  If  any  person  shall  keep  a  common,  ill-governed, 
or  disorderly  house,  or  suffer  any  person  to  play  any  game 
of  chance  on  his  or  her  premises  for  money,  or  any  other 
valuable  things,  any  such  person,  on  conviction,  shall  be 
fined  in  a  sum  of  not  less  than  five  dollars  ($5)  nor  more 
than  one  hundred  dollars  ($100). 

Sec.  3.  Section  three  (3),  chapter  twenty-eight  (28),  and 
section  one  (i),  of  chapter  fifty  (50),  of  the  revised  ordi- 
nances of  the  city  of  Chicago,  are  hereby  repealed. 

Sec.  4.  This  ordinance  shall  be  in  force  from  and  after  its 
passage. 

The  motion  of  Aid.  Cullerton  prevailed  by  the  following 
vote : 

Ayes  —  Richardson,  Foley,  Fitzgerald,  Schmitz,  Reidy, 
McClowry,  Cullerton,  M .  B.  Bailey,  Hildreth,  O'Brien,  T.  F. 
Bailey,  White,  Eckhardt,  Mahr,  Stout,  Schaffner,  Lengacher, 
Cannon,  Murphy,  Brand,  Lynch,  and  Corcoran. —  22. 

Noes — Warren,  Dixon,  Coey,  Sidwell,  Pickering,  Stone, 
Clark,  Woodman,  Miner,  Heath,  Moore,  Campbell,  Quirk, 
and  Cleveland. —  14. 

The  absent  Aldermen  were  Spalding,  Kehoe,  McGrath, 
and  Jonas. 

The  attitude  of  the  Council  on  this  question  may  be  stated 
as  25  to  15,  recording  Spalding  in  the  negative,  and  Mc- 
Grath, Kehoe,  and  Jonas  in  the  affirmative. 

The  ladies  now  besought  Mayor  Colvin  to  exercise  his 
veto 'privilege.  This  his  Honor  refused  to  do,  pledged  as 
he  was  to  execute  the  wishes  of  The  People  who  elected  him. 

Aid.  Dixon  was  elected  President  of  the  Council  on  the 
same  evening. 


GAGE  NOT  GUILTY  OF  PERJURY. 


The  last  indictment  for  false  swearing  against  David  A. 
Gage,  Ex-  City  Treasurer,  which  appears  in  full  under  the 
head  "  Counting  the  Money."  was  quashed  by  Judge  Moore 
March  26,  1874.  But  one  indictment  remains  at  the  present 
writing,  being  that  for  failing  to  pay  over.  In  reference  to 
this  indictment,  Mr.  Gage  obtained  a  change  of  venue  to 
Lake  County.  That  he  will  ever  be  tried  thereunder  is 
quite  doubtful,  however,  as  the  prospects  that  the  city  will, 
in  a  short  time,  recover  every  cent  due  it,  are  very  promis- 
ing. In  the  event  of  full  satisfaction  of  the  debt,  a  quite 
general  impression  exists  that  to  further  prosecute  would  be 
to  persecute.  While  anticipating  so  early  a  settlement  of 
the  whole  matter,  Mr.  Gage's  counsel  yet  believe  they  have 
a  sufficient  defense  under  the  indictment  for  failing  to  pay 
over.  The  main  points  in  said  defense  are  published  here- 
tofore, having  been  elicited  in  an  interview  with  Hon. 
Leonard  Swett,  Mr.  Gage's  counsel. 

The  Court  (Judge  Moore),  in  his  opinion  quashing  the  last 
indictment  for  false  swearing,  referred  to  the  affidavit  made 
by  Mr.  Gage  and  published  heretofore.  This  affidavit  con- 
formed substantially  to  the  provision  made  by  the  35th  sec- 


Il6  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

tion  of  chapter  5  of  the  city  charter.  But  by  an  amendrtrent  it 
was  provided  that  the  word  "  unlawfully  "  should  be  inserted 
before  the  word  "  use  "  whenever  the  same  occurred.  By 
section  34  it  was  provided  that  the  treasurer  may  be  directed 
or  authorized  by  ordinance  or  resolution  of  the  Common 
Council  to  loan,  on  deposit,  the  funds  of  the  city,  in  the 
banks  thereof.  Hence  the  word  "  unlawfully "  was  very 
necessary,  preceding  the  word  "use."  Inasmuch  as  said 
word  "  unlawfully  "  was  omitted  by  Mr.  Gage,  his  affidavit 
did  not  comply  with  the  statute,  and  was  therefore  a  volun- 
tary affidavit.  There  was  also  concerned  a  question  as  to 
the  time  of  making  the  affidavit. 

The  Court  concluded  as  follows : 

"Because  the  affidavit  was  not  authorized  by  law;  or, 
rather,  because  it  did  not  conform  to  the  law,  and  was  there- 
fore unauthorized  ;  and  secondly,  because  it  does  not  appear 
that  the  affidavit  was  made  at  or  about  the  end  of  the  month, 
and  because  it  does  not  appear  that  the  report  and  affidavit 
were  required  by  the  Comptroller  when  made,  on  the  6th  of 
December,  1873,  the  indictment  must  be  quashed." 


The  report  of  a  portion  of  the  Finance  Committee,  published  elsewhere  in  reference 
to  the  Gage  matter  was  not  "  official."  Messrs.  McGennis  and  Ogden  signed  the 
report  after  a  comparison  of  the  books  of  the  Comptroller,  Collector  and  Treasurer ; 
presuming  the  cash  to  be  safe  on  the  showing.  If  those  gentlemen  had  visited  the 
banks,  they  might  have  been  snubbed,  as  Aid.  Bateham  of  the  old  Committee  had 
been.  Upon  his  visit,  it  appears  he  was  informed  that  if  Mr.  Gage  desired  to  know 
how  much  money  he  had  there,  Mr.  Gage  could  ascertain.  Again,  in  calm  considera- 
tion, there  were  very  few  men  at  that  time  who  had  not  the  strongest  confidence  in  Mr. 
Gage. 


PART  II. 


City    Officers 


HARVEY    D.    COLVIN.  II9 


HARVEY  D.  COLVIN, 


Harvey  D.  Colvin,  Mayor  of  the  city  of  Chicago,  was 
born  in  Herkimer,  Herkimer  county,  New  York,  Dec.  i8, 
1814.  Up  to  his  election  on  the  People's  ticket,  by  a  ma- 
jority of  10,251,  Mr.  Colvin  devoted  the  greatest  energies  of 
an  uniformly  active  life  to  the  building  up  of  the  United 
States  Express  Company  in  the  West.  Of  this  most  flour- 
ishing institution  Mr.  Colvin  was  the  General  Agent  in  Chi- 
cago, when  called  upon  to  stand  at  the  head  of  the  People's 
ticket  —  a  selection  made  only  after  the  most  mature  delib- 
eration of  the  leaders. 

Mr.  Colvin's  business  life  commenced  in  Little  Falls,  N. 
Y.,  where  he  was  engaged  for  seventeen  years  in  the  manu- 
ufacture  of  boots  and  shoes.  He  subsequently  became  con- 
nected with  the  American  Express  Company  in  the  same 
locality.  Removing  thence,  he  organized,  in  1854,  the  Uni- 
ted States  Express  Company  in  Chicago,  with  a  capital  of 
about  $500,000.  The  growth  of  the  company  under  his 
direction,  in  those  twenty  years,  has  been  so  marvellous  that 
the  amount  of  capital  now  invested  is  $6,000,000. 

Among  the  positions  of  public  trust  held  by  Mr.  Colvin, 
while  in  Little  Falls,  were  the  Overseership  of  the  Poor,  the 
County  Superintendency  of  the  Poor,  and  a  Town  Supervi- 
sorship. 

Mayor  Colvin  assumed  the  duties  of  his  present  office  on 
the  first  day  of  December,  1873.  His  Honor's  inaugural  Ad- 
dress was  read  before  thirty-nine  aldermen,  as  follows  :  Rich- 
ardson,   Foley,  Warren,  Dixon,  Coey,   Fitzgerald,    Sidwell, 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


Spalding,  Pickering,  Stone,  Schmitz,  Reidy,  McClory, 
Cullerton,  M.  B.  Bailey,  Hildreth,  O'Brien,  T.  F.  Bailey, 
Clark,  Woodman,  White,  Miner,  Heath,  Moore,  Campbell, 
Quirk,  Cleveland,  Eckhardt,  McGrath,  Mahr,  Stout,  Schaff- 
ner,  Lengacher,  Cannon,  Murphy,  Brandt,  Lynch,  Corcoran, 
and  Jonas.     Alderman  Kehoe  \/as  absent. 

The  following  extracts  are  culled  from  the  Address  as  in- 
dicative of  the  attitude  of  His  Honor  upon  the  several 
important  questions  referred  to : 

"  During  the  last  municipal  administration  the  attention 
of  our  community  has,  to  a  great  extent,  been  diverted  from 
all  questions  referring  to  an  economical  management  of  the 
city  finances,  or  even  to  the  protection  of  life  and  property, 
by  efforts  as  fruitless  as  they  were  frantic,  to  enforce  certain 
ordinances  in  regard  to  the  observation  of  the  first  day  of  the 
week.  It  is  a  well  known  fact  that  those  ordinances,  how  much 
soever  they  may  have  been  in  consonance  with  the  public 
opinion  of  a  comparatively  small  and  homogeneous  popula- 
tion at  the  time  of  their  enactment,  have  ceased  to  be  so,  since 
Chicago  has,  by  the  harmonious  cooperation  of  citizens  be- 
longing to  different  nationalities,  grown  from  a  village  to  the 
rank  of  one  of  the  greatest  cities  of  the  world.  For  a  series  of 
years  it  has  been  the  practice  of  our  municipal  administration 
to  treat  those  ordinances  as  'obsolete,'  and  to  refrain  from 
enforcing  them.  It  is  not  intended  to  denounce  that  practice, 
but  merely  to  state  that,  within  the  past  year,  it  has  become 
distasteful  to  a  large  portion  of  the  community.  In  our  late 
election  the  issue  has  been  fairly  and  squarely  made  whether 
the  existing  ordinances  shall  be  retained  and  enforced,  or, 
upon  the  other  hand,  either  repealed  or  so  modified  as  to  be 
in  consonance  with  the  present  state  of  public  opinion  in 
our  community.  A  majority  of  our  people,  so  overwhelming 
that  it  would  be  preposterous  to  designate  their  decision  as 
a  snap  judgment,  or   to    cavil  at  its   meaning,  has  decided 


HARVEY    D.    COLVIN. 


the  question  in  favor  of  the  latter  aUernative.  It  behooves 
all  good  citizens  who  believe  the  principles  of  our  republi- 
can form  of  government  to  accept  that  popular  decision,  to 
which,  following  the  advice  of  my  predecessor  in  office,  they 
have  appealed.  There  is  no  reason  to  fear  that  those  who 
conscientiously  believe  the  existing  ordinance  upon  the  sub- 
ject to  be  dictated  by  a  spirit  of  religious  intolerance  incom- 
patible with  the  spirit  of  our  age,  will,  on  their  own  part, 
defy  the  spirit  of  mutual  toleration.  If  the  Common  Coun- 
cil, in  its  wisdom,  and  having  undoubtedly  full  power  upon 
the  subject,  should  determine  either  to  repeal  or  modify  the 
Sunday  prohibitions  and  Sunday  clauses  in  the  license  law, 
or  to  fully  secure  the  religious  exercises  of  a  portion  of  our 
citizens  'from  all  disturbance,  without  interfering  with  the 
harmless  enjoyments  of  other  citizens,  it  will  do  more  than 
its  duty  toward  the  majority  of  the  people  of  this  city. 

"  Our  police  system  should  be  conducted  upon  the  prin- 
ciple of  the  prevention  rather  than  the  punishment  of  crime. 
Nor  should  the  city  seek  to  obtain  revenue  by  means  of  any 
of  the  prevalent  forms  of  vice.  When  it  does,  it  becomes 
pai'ticeps  crwimis  in  the  iniquity  it  professes  to  punish  or 
suppress.  My  nature  revolts  against  this  barbarous  and 
brutal  practice,  not  pursued  for  the  purpose  of  extirpating 
vice,  but  with  the  object  of  adding  a  few  paltry  dollars  to 
the  public  revenue.  It  shall  never  receive  my  sanction.  All 
that  can  usefully  be  accomplished  in  this  direction  is  the 
mitigation  of  the  more  glaring  and  demoralizing  effects  of 
that  which  in  all  ages  and  among  all  races  has  existed  as  an 
evil  that  may  be  mitigated,  or,  perhaps,  regulated,  but  which 
has  never  yet  been  exterminated. 

"  Police  officers  should  be  made  to  understand  and  feel 
that  laws  are  enacted  as  much  to  protect  the  unfortunate  as 
to  punish  the  wicked.  In  no  case  should  a  person  be  inhu- 
manly treated  simply  because  he  has  been  arrested  for  some 
p  etty  offense  or  misdemeanor. 


122  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

"  I  am  decidedly  opposed  to  the  practice  of  police  officers 
receiving  money,  in  the  shape  of  rewards  for  services  ren- 
dered, from  any  corporation  or  individual.  Let  them  look 
to  the  city  alone  for  remuneration.  Such  practice  will, 
sooner  or  later,  end  in  the  force  becoming  merely  the  instru- 
ments of  great  corporations  or  wealthy  individuals." 

His  Honor,  having  comprehensively  referred  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  city's  finances,  which  was  not  very  promising, 
suggested  rigid  economy  as  the  only  resort  in  the  conclusion 
of  his  address,     He  said  : — 

"  In  conclusion,  gentlemen,  I  would  add  that,  in  view  of 
the  prostrated  condition  of  our  city  treasury,  our  fellow- 
citizens  loudly  call  upon  you  for  economical  legislation.  At 
the  same  time  they  look  to  me  for  a  prompt  interposition  of 
my  veto  to  any  measure  of  \vasteful,  excessive,  or  corrupt 
expenditure.  I  hope  and  trust  that  neither  will  fail  in  the 
duties  of  our  respective  provinces.  In  the  event  that  we 
do  not,  we  shall  acquit  ourselves  to  our  own  and  the  public 
satisfaction,  and  receive  the  regard  due  to  good  and  faithful 
servants." 


DANIEL    O  HARA.  123 


DANIEL   O'HARA. 


Daniel  O'Hara,  City  Treasurer  of  Chicago,  filled  a  van- 
guard position  on  the  People's  ticket,  having  assumed  the 
undertaking  of  opposing  David  A.  Gage  in  a  contest  for  the 
custodianship  of  the  city's  money.  Successive  terms  as 
City  Treasurer  had  made  Mr.  Gage's  name  the  synonym  of 
the  loftiest  character  of  official  integrity ;  and  the  fact  that  he 
had  paid  into  the  city's  exchequer  the  interest  on  city  deposits 
—  which"  his  predecessors  pocketed  —  seemed  to  make  his 
re-election  a  foregone  conclusion.  This  last  contest,  too,  as 
subsequent  developments  proved,  was  the  battle  of  David  A. 
Gage's  life.  In  its  result  was  staked  everything  that  concerned 
his  future  welfare,  and  the  standing  forever  afterwards  of 
his  connections  both  public  and  private.  A  situation  like 
this  shrank  from  very  few  availibilities  that  could  tend  in 
the  remotest  manner  to  secure  success.  Against  all  of  these 
resources,  gathered  together  at  suggestion,  the  People's 
Party  was  intrepid  enough  to  present  Daniel  O'Hara,  backed 
by  a  simple  record  for  honesty  and  capability  in  the  discharge 
of  his  official  duties. 

Daniel  O'Hara  is  of  Irish  descent,  as  the  name  indicates, 
and  carries  as  much  of  life's  sunlight  over  to  the  shady  side 
of  fifty,  as  any  of  his  most  genial  fellow-countrymen.  It  is 
his  nature  to  look  at  the  bright  side  of  the  picture ;  and  his 
chief  glory  is  to  observe  everybody  else  doing  likewise. 
This  cheerful  disposition,  maintained  under  all  circum- 
stances, has,  during  the  quarter  of  a  century  Mr.  O'Hara 


124  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

has  dwelt  among  us,  contributed  materially  to  his  uniform 
success  in  public  life. 

There  are  a  great  many  people  whose  comfort  is  much 
heightened  by  the  conviction  that  others  are  suffering; 
while  some  people  are  trudging  through  a  merciless  rain- 
storm, that  they  are  snugly  esconced  in  a  pair  of  blankets. 
A  thought  like  this  to  a  man  of  Mr.  O'Hara's  generous  im- 
pulses, is  a  source  of  absolute  pain.  In  a  commercial  point 
of  view,  this  peculiarity  of  disposition  very  rarely  enriches 
the  possessor.  Yet  it  has  appeared,  through  the  vagaries  of 
circumstances,  that  Mr.  O'Hara's  good  deeds  have  been 
remembered  by  at  least  a  portion  of  the  world ;  for  to  their 
influence  is  accredited  a  goodly  proportion  of  his  own  pros- 
perity. 

The  early  life  of  Mr.  O'Hara  was  devoted  to  journalism, 
a  field  for  which  he  was  peculiarly  adapted.  Twenty  years 
ago,  he  served  as  official  reporter  for  the  Chicago  Tribune, 
and  on  two  occasions  he  exhibited  an  ambition  to  see,  prop- 
erly represented,  the  interests  of  the  Western  Catholics 
through  the  Detroit  Vindicator  and  Western  Tablet,  both  of 
which  journals  he  founded,  only  to  witness  their  failure,  after 
he  had  severed  his  connection  with  them.  In  1855,  aban- 
doning journalism,  he  entered  the  Recorder's  office,  and 
was  soon  created  chief  clerk. 

In  1859,  the  Legislature  created  a  new  court,  built  upon 
the  then  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  and  christened  it  the 
Superior  Court.  Provision  having  been  made  under  the  new 
dispensation  for  additional  judges  and  clerks,  Mr.  O'Hara, 
then  chief  clerk  in  the  Recorder's  office,  was  placed  in  the 
field  by  the  Democratic  Convention  as  a  candidate  for  the 
clerkship.  In  the  race,  he  was  defeated  by  a  trifling  majority. 
He  ran  so  far  ahead  of  his  ticket,  however,  that  he  sprung 
at  once  into  the  vanguard  of  his  party,  universally  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  strongest  lions  of  the  fold.  This  was 
Mr.  O'Hara's  first  appearance  in  the  political  arena. 


DANIEL    O  HARA.  I  25 

In  1863,  under  the  new  charter,  Mr.  O'Hara  was  a  candi- 
date for  the  clerkship  of  the  Recorder's  Court,  on  the  ticket 
led  by  Hon.  F^rancis  C.  Sherman,  one  of  the  old  field-horses 
of  the  Democratic  party,  and  one  of  Chicago's  most  illus- 
trious pioneers.  The  Republican  party,  at  the  previous 
election,  elected  its  ticket  by  a  majority  of  4,600.  But  such 
was  the  standing  of  the  men  placed  on  the  Democratic  ticket, 
that  the  party  made  a  clean  sweep  by  a  trifling  majority. 
Hon.  Evert  Van  Buren  was  elected  Judge  of  the  Recorder's 
Court  on  the  same  occasion. 

In  the  spring  of  1868,  the  Democratic  Convention  nom- 
inated Hon.  W.  K.  McAllister  for  the  Judgeship  of  the 
Recorder's  Court,  and  Mr.  O'Hara  for  the  Clerkship. 
This  was  a  very  fierce  fight;  — judge  and  clerk  being  both 
staunch  Democrats  —  and  resulted  in  a  magnificent  victory. 

In  1871,  under  the  new  constitution,  the  Recorder's 
Court  became  the  Criminal  Court.  The  jurisdiction  of  the 
Court  was  now  extended  to  the  county ;  and  the  judicature  was 
so  altered  as  to  require  the  Judges  of  the  Superior  and  Cir- 
cuit Courts  to  sit  therein  in  rotation.  With  this  change,  Hon. 
W.  K.  McAllister  became  a  candidate  for  the  Supreme  Bench 
of  the  State,  and  was  overwhelmingly  elected  Associate 
Justice,  which  distinguished  office  he  yet  fills,  to  the  honor 
of  the  great  State  of  Illinois  and  the  satisfaction  of  the 
people  at  large. 

Mr.  O'Hara's  term  as  Clerk  of  the  Criminal  Court  expired 
in  the  fall  of  1873,  when  the  People's  Party  placed  him 
in  the  field  ^as  a  candidate  for  the  City  Treasurership  of 
Chicago. 

Throughout  his  career,  Mr.  O'Hara  has  been  a  stout  Dem- 
ocrat, and  will  always  revere  the  principles  inculcated  by 
Senator  Douglas,  whom  he  has  esteemed  as  his  political 
Gamaliel. 


126  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


JESSE  O.  NORTON. 

The  People's  Party  increased  to  a  very  considerable  ex- 
tent the  confidence  of  the  public,  by  the  selection  of  Jesse 
O.  Norton  for  the  responsible  office  of  Corporation  Counsel. 
The  adaptability  of  Judge  Norton  for  the  thorough  discharge 
of  the  manifold  duties  of  the  position  was  universally  recog- 
nized at  once  by  Press,  Bench  and  Bar.  The  local  press 
was  singularly  united  in  his  favor  as  Corporation  Counsel, 
and  a  portion  of  the  outside  press  took  early  occasion  to 
extol  the  appointment.  The  following  extract  in  reference 
thereto  is  taken  from  a  leading  journal  in  Joliet  (where 
Judge  Norton  passed  many  of  his  days) : 

"  The  numerous  friends  of  Hon.  J.  O.  Norton,  in  this 
Congressional  district,  were  pleased  to  learn  of  his  appoint- 
ment as  Corporation  Counsel  of  Chicago,  with  an  annual 
salary  of  six  thousand  dollars. 

"  We  regard  Mr.  Norton  as  not  only  one  of  the  ablest,  but 
one  of  the  purest  public  men  of  the  times.  For  nearly  a 
quarter  of  a  century  he  was  a  resident  of  this  city  and  filled 
numerous  public  offices,  including  that  of  County  Judge, 
member  of  the  Constitutional  Convention,  Judge  of  Circuit 
Court,  member  of  Congress  from  this  district  three  terms, 
and  U.  S.  Attorney,  in  all  of  which  positions  it  was  never 
charged  that  he  neglected  a  single  duty  or  made  use  of  a 
cent  that  he  was  not  justly  entitled  to.  His  soul  is 
unstained  by  Credit  Mobilierism  or  official  peculation.  He 
is  a  man  of  fine  ability,  and  his  decisions  while  on  the  bench 
were  characterized  for  their  legal  knowledge  and  adherence 
to  correct  principles." 

Throughout  his  entire  career,  Mr.  Norton  has  uniformly 


JESSE    O.    NORTON. 

commanded  the  unqualified  confidence  of  those  who  have 
known  him  — confidence  not  alone  in  his  ability  as  a  jurist, 
but  confidence  in  his  sterling  integrity.  Very  few  men  can 
point  to  more  flattering  testimonials  in  this  behalf.  Among 
his  invaluable  memories,  the  movement  in  1862  to  place  him 
as  one  of  the  judges  in  the  Court  of  Claims,  is  recalled  dis- 
tinguishedly.  On  this  occasion  letters  of  the  strongest  char- 
acter, in  his  favor,  were  written  to  the  President  by  such  men 
as  Schuyler  Colfax,  John  Covode,  O.  H.  Browning,  Lyman 
Trumbull,  Roscoe  Conklin,  Thaddeus  Stevens,  R.  E.  Fenton, 
and  Erastus  Corning.  While  the  matter  was  pending,  how- 
ever, Mr.  Norton  withdrew  from  the  field,  having  been  re- 
elected to  a  seat  in  Congress. 

During  his  residence  in  Joliet,  the  admirers  of  our  subject 
first  introduced  him  into  the  arena  of  politics  —  a  thoroughly 
unwilling  candidate  for  the  public  honors  vouchsafed  to  him 
at  the  time,  it  may  be  said.  Filled  with  a  laudable  ambition 
to  go  to  Congress  before  his  brother  graduates  of  Williams 
College,  in  Massachusetts,  it  is  true  Mr.  Norton  stepped  into 
the  ranks  of  the  legal  profession,  bent  upon  becoming  a 
Congressman.  This  was  his  only  political  desire.  Having 
once  gratified  it,  he  placed  his  whole  soul  in  the  practice  of 
the  profession  he  loves  so  sincerely. 

Jesse  O.  Norton  was  born  in  Bennington,  Vermont,  and 
is  about  fifty-seven  years  of  age.  Having  graduated  quite 
early  in  life,  in  Williams  College,  Massachusetts,  with  high 
honors,  he  came  West  and  settled  in  Joliet,  Illinois.  Here 
he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  and  practiced  for  a  period  ex- 
ceeding twenty  years. 

In  1847,  he  was  elected  a  member  of  the  Constitutional 
Convention.  While  so  serving,  perhaps  his  most  prominent 
attitude  was  taken  on  the  question  in  reference  to  the 
exclusion  of  negroes  from  the  State.  He  took  a  bold  stand 
against  the   exclusion  idea;  contending  that  it  was  entirely 


128  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

unconstitutional.  The  arguments  on  which  he  based  his 
position  were  conceded,  on  all  hands,  to  be  unanswerable. 

In  1850,  he  was  elected  to  the  Legislature.  In  the  delib- 
erations of  that  body  he  took  a  most  prominent  part.  His 
principal  efforts  were  chronicled  in  the  question  of  the  rail- 
road system  of  those  days. 

In  1852,  he  was  elected  to  Congress,  and  in  1854,  he  was 
re-elected.  During  his  first  year  he  achieved  a  magnificent 
record;  due  principally  to  his  telling  speech  against  the 
Nebraska  Bill.  Senator  Douglas  paid  him  an  eloquent  com- 
pliment upon  this  occasion.  He  also  assisted  materially  in 
that  movement  which  gave  about  $2,000,000  worth  of  swamp 
lands  to  the  State;  and  favored  the  appropriation  of  1^5,000,- 
.000  for  the  deepening  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  a 
measure  which  was  lost  in  the  Senate. 

In  1857,  he  was  elected  Judge  of  the  Circuit  Court,  and 
served  up  to  the  summer  of  1861.  He  subsequently  de- 
clined re-election. 

In  1862,  he  was  re-elected  to  Congress. 

In  1866,  Mr.  Norton  came  to  Chicago.  In  this  year,  he 
was  appointed  U.  S.  Attorney,  and  held  the  office  up  to  the 
spring  of  1869.  While  United  States  Attorney,  the  records 
showed  more  convictions  and  a  greater  amount  of  monies 
collected  than  in  any  other  State,  except  New  York. 


S.    S.    HAYES.  129 


SAMUEL  S.  HAYES. 


Samuel  Snowden  Hayes,  the  Comptroller  of  the  City  of 
Chicago,  was  born  Dec.  25,  1820,  in  Nashville,  Tennessee, 
where  his  father.  Dr.  R.  P.  Hayes,  settled  soon  after  his  re- 
tirement from  the  Surgeonship  of  a  New  York  regiment, 
engaged  in  the  last  conflict  between  the  United  States  and 
Great  Britain.  Having  acquired  all  the  educational  advan- 
tages a  solicitous  father  could  procure  for  his  son,  Mr.  Hayes 
began  active  life  as  a  store  boy  in  a  drug  store  ;  was  soon 
made  a  prescription  clerk,  and  rose  so  rapidly  subsequently, 
as,  in  a  brief  interval,  to  decline  the  entire  charge  of,  and  a 
partnership  in,  a  drug  store  in  Indiana.  In  August,  1838, 
he  went  into  the  drug  business  on  his  own  account  in  Shaw- 
neetown,  Illinois.  The  occupation  proving  incongenial, 
however,  he  abandoned  it  soon  after  for  the  legal  profession. 
In  the  practice  of  law  —  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1842 
—  Mr.  Hayes  remained  up  to  1852,  when,  having  caused  the 
wilds  of  Mount  Vernon  and  Carmi,  Illinois,  to  ring  with  the 
music  of  his  forensic  efforts,  he  removed  to  Chicago.  This 
was  a  sensible  project. 

Very  early  in  life  Mr.  Hayes  gave  good  promise  of  success 
in  the  political  arena.  The  first  demonstration,  perhaps, 
was  in  1843,  when  he  took  the  stump  in  favor  of  the  Demo- 
cratic Party.  In  1845,  at  the  Memphis  Convention,  called 
for  the  promotion  of  Western  and  Southern  interests,  his 
speech  for  the  coalition  of  parties  elicited  a  high  compli- 
ment from  John  C.  Calhoun,  whose  expressions  he  con- 
9 


130  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

demned;  in  1846  he  was  sent  to  the  Legislature;  in  1847 
he  was  selected  a  delegate  to  a  Convention  for  the  Revision 
of  the  Constitution  ;  and  in  1848  he  was  constantly  on  the 
stump  in  Southern  Illinois. 

On  his  removal  to  Chicago,  Mr.  Hayes  was  employed  by 
the  City  as  Counsellor  and  City  Solicitor.  Senator  Douglas, 
however,  soon  brought  him  from  his  seclusion,  by  proposing 
the  repeal  of  the  Missouri  Compromise.  This  measure  he 
opposed  vehemently.  His  action  brought  forward  Senator 
Douglas  in  1855,  when  that  statesman  paid  particular  atten- 
tion to  Mr.  Hayes  and  others.  This  fact  to  the  contrary, 
notwithstanding,  in  obedience  to  the  Democratic  principle, 
no  better  supporter  of  Douglas,  it  is  said,  was  afterwards 
found  than  Mr.  Hayes.  From  this  period  up  to  and  during 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  the  voice  of  our  present  Comptrol- 
ler was  always  heard  plainly  in  open  convention. 

The  position  assumed  by  Mr.  Hayes  when  appointed 
Comptroller  of  Chicago,  in  1862,  was  in  the  interest  of  econ- 
omy and  regularity  so  emphatically  that  the  Council,  on  his 
withdrawal  in  1865,  gave  him  an  unanimous  vote  of  com- 
mendation. Shortly  after,  he  was  appointed  one  of  the 
three  members  of  the  United  States  Revenue  Commission. 
Messrs.  Wells  and  Colwell  were  taken  from  the  Republican 
Party,  and  Mr.  Hayes  from  the  Democratic.  The  financial 
report  of  Mr.  Hayes,  in  this  connection,  elicited  an  editorial 
from  the  London  Times.  His  reply  ended  as  follows:  "As 
far  as  the  liabilities  of  the  United  States  are  concerned,  they 
seem  to  me  quite  within  our  means  of  payment,  without 
impoverishing  our  people,  and  without  wronging  our  cred- 
itors." 


EGBERT    JAMIESON.  13I 


AUTOBIOGRAPHY    OF    EGBERT    JAMIESON.^ 


"  Credc   qitod  habes,  et  kabes." 

It  may  not  be  unnecessary  to  inform  the  reader  that  the 
following  autobiography  had  its  origin  in  a  conversation 
between  the  author  and  the  publisher,  who  did  him  the 
honor  of  calling  several  times  upon  him. 

It  appeared  to  me  a  favorable  opportunity  to  undertake 
the  task,  and  enriching  myself  with  all  the  necessary  material. 
I  accordingly  took  advantage  of  it.  I  regret,  however,  that 
the  very  general  curiosity  of  the  public,  with  regard  to  the 
particulars  of  my  history,  could  not  have  been  satisfied  at 
an  earlier  date  —  say  on  yesterday,— but  its  importance 
required  rather  a  more  detailed  consideration  than  at  that 
time  I  had  any  leisure  to  bestow  upon  it.  Besides,  the 
original  memoirs  in  Spanish,  prepared  soon  after  my  return 
from  Europe,  early  last  spring,  were  destroyed  in  the  great 
fire  of  October,  187 1,  and  hence  it  has  been  with  no  little 
difficulty  that  a  correct  recital  of  facts  and  occurrences  has 
been  prepared. 

To  begin,  then.  I  had  two  parents  —  one  of  each  kind 
—  both  "poor,  but  honest,"  and  I  have  good  reason  to 
believe,  and  do  most  solemnly  assert,  that  I  was  not  ushered 
into  this  life  on  the  European  Plan.  Consequently,  my  cra- 
dle was  not   surrounded  by  those   prejudices  and  ideas  of 

*Note  -The  city  attorney  having  repeatedly  declined  to  be  interviewed,  wrote  his 
autobiography,  at  the  requesi  of  the  author  of  this  work.  It  would  not  be  fair  to  leave 
the  gentleman  out.  —  The  Author. 


132 


THK    GREAT    REVOLUTIONS'. 


superiority  with  which  pride  and    flattery  always    seek   to 
intoxicate  the  minds  of  the  privileged  classes. 

It  is  a  most  extraordinary  circumstance  that  the  earliest 
ancestor  our  family  has  any  record  of,  superintended,  with 
the  assistance  of  the  princes  of  the  line  of  the  Pharoahs, 
the  building  of  those  wonderful  structures,  the  Pyramids. 
Having  completed  this  job,  he  next  turned  his  attention  to 
life  insurance,  but  in  this  he  met  with  little  or  no  success, 
(the  family  cheek  having  then  not  sufficiently  developed 
itself,)  and  we  next  hear  of  him  as  a  sutler  in  the  army  of 
Cambyses  Second,  King  of  Persia,  in  his  raid  against  the 
Egyptians.  During  this  campaign  he  was  shot  by  his  com- 
mander, there  being  at  that  time  a  great  surplus  of  warriors, 
and  the  railroad  facilities  for  transporting  them  greatly 
obstructed.  This  painful  incident  took  place  some  five 
hundred  years  before  Christ,  and  none  of  the  descendants 
have  felt  like  doing  much  since. 

Coming  down  a  trifle  later,  say  about  the  fifteenth  cen- 
tury, our  family  tree  blossoms  profusely  with  celebrated 
musicians,  with  an  occasional  literary  bud.  It  is  related  of 
Claudin  Gaimeisen,  (an  Italian,  in  the  direct  line),  that  in 
1475,  while  playing  an  engagement  in  a  horse  car  in  Jersey 
City,  he  caused  a  very  spirited  air  to  be  sung,  accompanying 
himself  with  the  accordion,  which  so  animated  a  gentleman 
who  was  present,  that  he  clapped  his  hands  on  the  person  of 
my  ancestor, —  a  struggle  ensued  —  and  my  deceased  relative 
was  buried  from  the  hospital  on  the  next  day. 

Claudin  left  surviving  him  a  widow  of  the  name  of 
Jinkins,  and  two  adopted  children.  William  Henry,  the 
elder  of  the  children,  is  said  to  have  been  a  delicate  youth, 
and  excessively  fond  of  books;  but  the  supply  in  general 
literature  was  somewhat  limited  at  home,  being  confined  to 
"  Hovle's  Games,"  and  the  "Life  of  James  Buchanan."  He 
was  accordingly  sent  at  an  early  age  to  a  Female  Seminary, 


EGBERT    JAMIESON.  1  33 

where  he  graduated  with  distinguished  honors.  He  was  the 
author  of  numerous  poems  and  tales ;  his  chief  production 
being  "Betsey  and  I  Are  Out,"  —  a  passionate  story  of 
Italian  incident,  which  was  marked  by  such  grandeur  of 
thought  and  eloquence  of  expression,  that  it  attracted  for  it 
great  attention  in  "  going  the  rounds  of  the  press."  In  ath- 
letic sports  he  was  a  great  enthusiast,  and  is  said  to  have 
had  few  superiors.  But  at  last,  "  vaulting  ambition  o'er- 
leaped  itself,"  and  in  a  hotly  contested  game  of  "  freeze 
out,"  he  took  a  severe  cold,  and  shortly  after  expired  in 
great  agony. 

For  the  next  four  hundred  years  the  family  history  is  too 
barren  of  incident  to  write  about.  It  wants  variety  —  it 
wants  activity  —  it  wants  interest.  If  you  do  n't  believe  it, 
some  one  more  interested  in  the  matter  than  I  am  had  better 
undertake  the  search. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  but  proper  that  the  reader  should  be 
informed  that  my  principal  object  in  thus  far  divulging  the 
important  historical  events  which  are  here  communicated  to 
my  fellow  citizens,  was  to  supply  in  some  measure,  the 
immense  chasm  which  the  absence  of  these  memoirs  may 
leave  in  the  annals  of  our  country.  In  so  doing,  I  have  to 
acknowledge  my  obligations  to  Captain  Hickey,  and  Detec- 
tives Ellis  and  Dixon,  for  many  valuable  suggestions,  but  for 
reasons  which  I  do  not  choose  here  to  divulge,  I  have  not 
availed  myself  of  them,  notwithstanding  their  absence  may, 
to  some  extent,  render  the  plan  of  my  work  incomplete. 


134 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


JOSEPH   K.  C.  FORREST. 


The  City  Clerk,  Mr.  Forrest,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Cork, 
Ireland,  November  26,  1820,  and  was  baptized  in  St.  Ann's 
Shandon  Church  — "  Bells  of  Shandon."  His  father,  who 
resided  in  the  city  of  Cork  and  vicinity  for  fifty  years, 
was  for  thirty  years  director  of  one  of  the  largest  mercan- 
tile firms  there  —  Cummins  Brothers  &  Co.  He  acquired 
here  a  business  education,  and  aside  from  his  occupation 
in  this  particular  branch  of  industry,  farmed  over  six  hun- 
dred acres  of  land,  and  conducted  a  large  planing  mill  and 
tanyard.  He  was,  as  well,  a  freeman  and  burgess  of  the 
city.  Mr.  Forrest's  uncle,  Phillip  Ryder,  was  for  thirty 
years  Comptroller  of  Customs  for  the  port  of  Cork.  His 
first  cousin,  Mr.  P.  R.  Tivy,  is  married  to  a  sister  of  Sir 
Thomas  Lyons,  formerly  Mayor  and  Member  of  Parliament 
for  Cork.  His  oldest  brother,  John  L.  Forrest,  married  a 
daughter  of  James  Lane,  Esq.,  formerly  Mayor  of  the  city 
of  Cork.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  schoolmate  of 
the  late  John  Francis  Maguire,  Mayor  and  Member  of  Par- 
liament for  Cork. 

Mr.  Forrest  came  to  Chicago  July,  1840,  and  was  intro- 
duced into  society  by  Hon.  J.  Young  Scammon,  who  con- 
tinues to  be  his  friend.  After  a  short  time,  Mr.  Forrest 
became  associate  editor  of  the  Journal,  with  Riebel  L. 
Wilson,  Esq.  He  then  became  editor  of  the  Gem  of  the 
Prairie,  a  weekly  paper  whicli  was  merged  into  the  Tri- 
bune.    \Vi  fact,  it  was  at  the  urgent  solicitation  of  Mr.  For- 


JOSEPH    K.    C.    FORREST.  135 

rest,  who  was  one  of  its  founders,  that  this  journal  was  so 
christened.  The  prospectus,  however,  was  written  by  Mr. 
Wheeler,  under  the  old  heading  Mr.  Forrest  subsequently 
sold  his  interest.  In  1846-7,  he  went  as  associate  editor 
upon  Hon.  John  Wentvvorth's  paper,  the  old  Democrat, 
accepting  the  very  large  salary,  at  that  time,  of  $1,000. 
While  acting  as  editor,  Mr.  Forrest  was  elected  Clerk  of 
the  Recorder's  Court,  vanquishing  Hon.  Philip  A.  Hoyne 
by  over  nine  hundred  votes.  Hon.  Daniel  O'Hara,  at 
present  City  Treasurer,  was  his  successor  in  the  office. 

Mr.  Forrest  has  written  a  great  deal  on  Finance  for  the 
Press.  He  is  at  present  engaged  in  a  philosophical  work  on 
"  The  Nature  of  Life  and  Government,"  in  which  he  com- 
bats the  Darwinian  theory,  and  the  competitive  theory  of 
enlightened  self-interest  as  set  forth  by  Mill,  Lecky,  and 
other  modern  writers.  He  contends  that  the  "body  of 
thought  "  which  has  governed  the  civilized  world  from  the 
time  of  Bacon  to  the  present,  and  on  which  our  great  legal 
principles  are  founded,  is  in  process  of  consummation; 
also,  that  the  era,  and  the  reign  of  force,  and  the  power  of 
great  governments  to  control  the  social  as  they  have  hereto- 
fore the  political  state,  is  gradually  asserting  itself.  In  fact, 
he  contends  that  the  age  of  intellect,  the  power  of  man's 
intellect  to  control  man,  as  held  by  Buckle  and  others,  is 
fast  fading  away.  He  assumes  that,  ere  long,  the  material- 
istic races  of  the  world,  such  as  the  Anglo-Saxons  and  the 
Germans  especially,  will  put  the  Church  and  the  Latin 
races  which  are  its  chief  support  under  the  feet  of  the 
practical,  or  the  State ;  that,  as  it  was  when  Christ  came 
first,  the  Romans  were  the  masters  of  the  world,  so,  when 
He  comes  the  second  time,  the  Germans,  who  are  the  mod- 
ern counterparts  of  the  ancient  Romans,  will  be  the  rulers 
of  the  modern  world. 


Police  and   Fire   Commissioners, 


POLICE    AND    FIRE    COMMISSIONERS.  I39 


MARK   SHERIDAN. 


The  Presidency  of  the  Board  of  Police  and  Fire  Com- 
missioners has  come  unto  Mr.  Sheridan  through  a  combina- 
tion of  circumstances  never  equaled  in  political  history. 
During  his  term  he  has  observed  the  vanishing  coat  tails  of 
no  less  than  five  presidents  :  Brown,  Talcott,^Reno,  Mason, 
and  Cleveland.  Brown  resigned  immediately  after  the  great 
fire;  Talcott  threw  up  the  sponge  in  a  fit  of  horrible  despe- 
ration —  and  'he  wrote  his  own  death  warrant ;  Reno  was 
removed  by  the  Medill  administration,  for  daring  to  main- 
tain the  dignity  of  his  position  —  and  The  People  subse- 
quently restored  him;  Mason  failed  to  "make  a  spoon,  but 
spoiled  a  horn,"  to  use  his  own  words;  and  Cleveland  was 
ousted  by  the  great  political  revolution.  Througliout  the 
same  period,  Mr.  Sheridan  was  fighting  Mayor  Medill,  the 
Press,  the  entire  Law  Department,  and  Superintendent  of  Po- 
lice Washburn ;  narrowly  escaping,  by  the  way,  an  untimely 
end  from  an  inkstand  in  the  hands  of  the  mild  and  slim  Po- 
lice Superintendent.  During  this  unpleasantness,  indeed,  it 
was  broadly  hinted  that  the  assassination  of  the  Commissioner 
was  meditated  by  somebody.  The  idea  sprung  from  the  fact 
that  at  one  of  the  sessions  of  the  Board  of  Police  the  desk 
of  the  Secretary,  Dr.  Ward,  was  changed  so  as  to  completely 
imprison  Mr.  Sheridan,  in  the  event  of  open  war.  Mr,  Sher- 
idan also  saw  the  removal  of  Police  Superintendents  Ken- 
nedy and  Washburn,  Deputy  Superintendent  Sherman,  Cap- 
tains French,  Fox  and  Lull;    the  resignation  and  reinstate- 


140 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


ment  of  Captain  Hickey  ;  and  the  removal  of  Fire  Marshals 
Williams,  Schank  and  Walters.  What  he  did  not  see  of  the 
events  that  foreran  and  justified  the  remarkable  political 
revolution,  would  occupy  a  very  small  space  indeed  in  this 
batch  of  memoirs. 

Police  Commissioner  Mark  Sheridan  was  born  in  the 
city  of  Waterford,  Ireland,  in  1826.  At  the  age  of  fif- 
teen, his  father  prosecuting;  a  flourishing  brewing  traffic, 
Mark  entered  the  establishment  as  clerk  and  disburser. 
This  was  his  first  idea  of  the  business  world ;  and  the  cir- 
cumstances under  which  that  idea  was  acquired  were  quite 
arduous,  the  illness  of  his  father  placing  the  entire  manage- 
ment of  his  extensive  affairs  on  Mark's  shoulders.  He  was 
so  engaged  up  to  the  revolutionary  epoch  in  Irish  history, 
which  numbered  among  its  prominent  spirits  the  names  of 
Smith,  O'Brien,  John  Mitchell,  and  Thomas  Francis  Mea- 
gher. At  the  first  breath,  Mr.  Sheridan  threw  his  whole 
soul  into  the  movement,  and  might  have  easily  had  a  hempen 
necklace  if  he  did  not  escape  to  America  under  the  protec- 
tion of  the  flag  of  Norway.  This  prominent  event  in  his  life 
occurred  in  1848. 

In  this  year  he  arrived  in  New  York.  Thence  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Philadelphia;  thence  to  Baltimore.  In  those 
localities,  Mr.  Sheridan,  after  repeated  efforts,  failed  in  find- 
ing reliable  employment.  He  accordingly  went  to  Missouri. 
Here  he  built  bridges.  In  Cincinnati  he  was  more  fortunate^ 
obtaining  a  railroad  clerkship.  In  1856  he  came  to  Chicago, 
and  was  identified,  up  to  1861,  with  packing  interests.  This 
comprises  the  business  record  of  the  Commissioner. 

Mr.  Sheridan's  political  life  has  been  a  continuous  series 
of  successes,  this  being  his  sixth  election.  He  was  first 
elected  overseer  of  highways.  Re-elected,  he  declined  the 
unprofitable  |,honor.  Shortly  afterward  he  was  elected  to 
represent  the  fifth  ward  in  the  Common  Council.     His  posi- 


POLICE    AND    FIRE    COMMISSIONERS.  141 

tion  was  very  clearly  defined  as  an  alderman,  on  all  subjects. 
Perhaps  his  attitude  on  the  matter  of  assessment  is  one  of 
his  most  noteworthy  recollections.  He  held  that  the  assess- 
ment of  those  days  was  decidedly  inequitable,  and  clearly 
demonstrated  it.  He  was  re-elected  Alderman  for  the  third 
time,  and  had  served  about  eighteen  months  of  his  last  term, 
when  elected  Police  Commissioner.  On  the  organization  of 
the  new  Board,  under  the  new  administration,  he  was  elected 
its  President.  As  President  of  the  Board,  Mr.  Sheridan 
commands  the  strongest  confidence  of  his  colleagues,  and 
of  the  great  public. 


142  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


E.  F.  C  KLOKKE 

The  history  of  this  gentleman  is  a  part  and  parcel  of  the 
antecedents  of  that  great  movement  which  swept  chronic 
office  holders  completely  out  of  existence.  He  was  cheated 
badly  out  of  his  honors;  only  for  a  short  time,  however. 

Police  Commissioner  E.  F.  C.  Klokke  was  born  in  Hol- 
land in  1834.  Up  to  the  age  of  sixteen,  his  time  was  de- 
voted to  the  securing  of  a  mercantile  education.  In  1850, 
he  came  to  New  York,  where  he  served  his  time  at  the  hat 
trade. 

In  1857,  Mr.  Klokke  came  to  Chicago.  He  found  it  up- 
hill work  at  this  time,  being  the  occasion,  as  old  residents 
will  remember,  of  a  financial  crisis.  From  the  year  of  his 
arrival  up  to  1S61,  he  filled  position  of  bookkeeper  and  sales- 
man alternately. 

In  this  year  Mr.  Klokke  entered  the  military  service.  At 
the  first  tap  of  the  drum  he  had  his  name  enrolled  in  the  Ells- 
worth Zouaves,  and  when  the  call  for  300,000  troops  was 
made,  he  was  one  of  the  very  first  to  march  to  the  front,  to- 
the  tune,  "We  are  coming,  Father  Abraham."  At  this  junc- 
ture he  entered  the  Twenty-Fourth  Illinois,  joining  the  fam- 
ous organization  known  as  the  Hecker  Jaegers.  He  entered 
the  service  as  a  Lieutenant.  Thence  he  was  detached  to 
the  Signal  Corps,  and,  as  signal  officer,  served  under  Gen. 
Thomas,  until  1864.  His  conduct  for  gallantry  while  thus 
engaged  caused  his  promotion  to  a  majorship. 

On  his  return  from  the  field,  Mr.  Klokke  immediately  re- 
sumed business  and  devoted  his  entire  attention  thereto  up 


POLICE    AND    FIRE    COMMISSIONERS.  1 45 

to  July,  1 87 1,  when,  upon  the  earnest  solicitation  of  Mayor 
Medill,  he  accepted  the  position  of  Police  Commissioner. 
At  the  fall  election  of  same  year  he  was  elected  by  a  majority 
of  about  15,000. 

In  January,  1873,  the  difficulty  arising  between  the  Board 
of  Police  and  the  Superintendent  of  Police,  touching  the  de- 
moralizing twelve  o'clock  order  —  disapproved  by  the  unan- 
imous action  of  the  Board  —  caused  the  removal  of  Mr. 
Klokke,  and  also  Mr.  Reno,  from  office,  at  the  hands  of 
Mayor  Medill.  Comment  on  Mr.  Medill's  action  is  ren- 
dered unnecessary  by  the  fact  that  both  of  these  gentlemen 
are  returned  to  their  old  positions  by  the  people. 

The  prominence  of  Mr.  Klokke  in  the  grand  programme 
which  culminated  in  the  overwhelming  triumph  of  the 
People's  movement  gained  his  nomination  to  the  position 
of  Police  Commissioner,  at  the  hands  of  Mayor  Colvin. 


144  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


C.  A.  RENO. 


Police  Commissioner  Reno  was  elected  on  the  People's 
ticket  to  the  position  he  now  holds.  He  has  paid  but  very 
little  attention  to  politics.  In  1859,  however,  he  represented 
the  Sixth  Ward  in  the  Common  Council.  He  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania  in  181 8,  November  17th.  Up  to  1845,  in 
company  with  his  father,  Mr.  Reno  prosecuted  a  flourishing 
iron  trade.  Removing  to  Chicago  in  this  year,  he  was  the 
first  man  to  devote  himself  exclusively  to  the  sale  of  Briar 
Hill  and  Erie  coal.  The  sales  averaged,  in  these  days, 
probably  one  hundred  tons  per  day.  As  early  as  17 15,  the 
Renos  came  over  from  France,  to  mine  a  lead-bank  in  St. 
Louis,  and  secured  an  extensive  land  grant.  About  4,000 
acres  are  yet  left  in  Randolph  County. 

Mayor  Medill  nominated  Mr.  Reno,  and  the  Council  con- 
firmed him.  When  the  Board  of  Police,  however,  thought 
fit  to  suspend  Mr.  Washburn  for  conduct  unbecoming  an 
officer,  Mayor  Medill  removed  Mr.  Reno  in  company  with 
Mr.  Klokke.  What  the  people  thought  of  it  was  shown  at 
the  election.  Both  Mr.  Reno  and  Mr.  Klokke  are  still 
Police  Commissioners. 


POLICE    AND    FIRE    COMMISSIONERS.  1 45 


JAMES    AVARS,  Jr. 


Mr.  Ayars,  having  been  almost  unanimously  nominated  by 
the  Board  of  Underwriters,  was  appointed  Fire  Commis- 
sioner by  the  Council,  Nov.  lo,  1873.  The  Commissioner 
was  born  in  New  Jersey  in  1836,  and  at  the  age  of  16  pro- 
ceeded to  New  York.  Here  he  was  engaged  for  four  years 
in  the  wholesale  grocery  trade.  About  this  time  he  received 
an  appointment  to  West  Point.  He  did  not  accept  it,  how- 
ever, but  went  to  Covington,  Kentucky,  where  his  parents 
resided.  Here,  in  1858,  he  was  admitted  to  the  Bar;  by 
Judge  Moore,  at  present  sitting  in  the  Superior  Court  of 
Cook  county.  In  1862,  he  \va.s  elected  County  Clerk  of  Ken- 
ton county,  Kentucky,  and  while  serving  was  elected  City 
Treasurer  of  Covington,  for  two  terms,  by  a  very  large  vote. 
In  1867,  he  came  to  Chicago,  and  entered  the  grain  and  in- 
surance business,  representing  the  "  Phoenix "  Insurance 
Company  of  Hartford,  as  local  agent.  On  July  i,  1869,  he 
was  appointed  Special  Deputy  of  Customs.  On  Dec.  i,  1872, 
he  resigned  and  returned  to  his  insurance  agency.  He  is 
not  a  People's  ticket  man.  In  deference  to  friendship  for 
Mr.  Philip  Wadsworth,  he  accepted  a  position  on  the  Exec- 
utive Committee  of  the  Citizen's  Union  ticket. 

During  the  war,  the  Commissioner  was  a  Captain  of  a  bat- 
tery attached  to  the  41st  Kentucky  Volunteers,  and  witness- 
ed considerable  guerilla  warfare. 


146  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


DR.  WARD. 


The  Secretary  of  the  Board  of  Police  and  Fire  Commis- 
sioners, Dr.  Ward,  —  this  is  the  name  by  which  he  is  best 
known, —  was  born  at  Pittsfield,  Mass.,  December  9,  1823, 
and  graduated  in  medicine  at  the  Berkshire  Medical  college 
in  1845.  In  1847,  he  removed  to  Chicago,  and  in  January, 
1855,  he  permanently  settled  here.  He  was  a  deputy  in  the 
office  of  the  Clerk  of  the  County  Court  of  Cook  county,  for 
nine  years — eight  years  in  charge  of  the  Probate  depart- 
ment ;  was  principal  clerk  in  the  County  Treasurer's  office 
for  two  years,  and  has  been  Secretary  of  the  Board  for  seven 
years.  His  usefulness  here  is  a  matter  well  recognized  by 
all  with  whom  he  has  been  brought  in  contact. 


Police  Superintendent  and 

Captains. 


POLICE    KORCE.  1 49 


JACOB  REHM. 


The  Superintendent  of  the  pretty  thoroughly  reconstruct- 
ed poHce  force  of  the  city  of  Chicago  is  Jacob  Rehm ;  this 
being  the  third  time  he  has  been  called  upon  to  assume  so 
responsible  a  position. 

Mr.  Rehm  was  born  near  Strasbourg,  in  the  province  of 
Alsace,  in  1828,  and  is  of  German  descent.  The  place  of 
his  birth  is  a  French  possession,  yet  its  inhabitants  speak 
the  German  tongue.  In  his  native  place,  Mr.  Rehm  remain- 
ed at  school  up  to  the  age  of  12.  In  1840,  the  family 
removed  to  Chicago.  Here  the  subject  of  this  sketch  has 
lived  ever  since,  excepting  a  brief  stay  in  Dupage  county. 

In  early  life,  Mr.  Rehm  pursued  a  miscellaneous  career  ; 
as  in  fact  did  a  great  many  people  who  entered  Chicago  at 
so  undeveloped  a  period.  His  first  experience  in  police  life 
occurred  in  185 1.  In  this  year  he  joined  the  force  as  a  pa- 
trolman—  in  the  days  of  James  L.  Howe,  who  was  City 
Marshal.  As  patrolman,  Mr.  Rehm  served  on  the  force  up 
to  1855,  when  he  accepted  a  Street  Commissionership  in  the 
North  Division.  One  year's  service  —  the  term  for  which 
he  was  elected —  was  succeeded  by  an  appointment  as  Fore- 
man of  Street  Improvement  under  the  Superintendent  of 
Public  Works.  His  experience  here,  with  the  recollection  of 
his  police  service,  may  be  said  to  have  thoroughly  initiated 
him  into  public  life,  as  upon  his  retirement  he  was  appointed 
City  Marshal,  or  Chief  of  Police.  Two  years  after,  how- 
ever, he  left  the  force  and   entered  the  service  of  Lill  &  Di- 


15° 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


versy,  brewers.  In  the  spring  of  1861,  on  the  organization  of 
the  police  force  after  the  Metropolitan  system,  police  life 
assumed  a  resistless  attraction,  and  Mr.  Rehm  accepted  the 
Deputy  Superintendency  under  the  new  law. 

Resigning,  he  once  more  entered  the  service  of  Lill  &  Di- 
versy.  The  old  love  was  strong,  nevertheless.  Accordingly 
Mr.  Rehm  went  back  to  the  force  again,  assuming  the  posi- 
tion of  Superintendent.  While  acting  as  such,  in  1863,  he 
was  elected  County  Treasurer.  In  1866,  he,  once  more,  was 
appointed  Superintendent  of  PoHce.  The  office  he  filled  up 
to  1869,  in  which  year  he  resigned,  to  be  succeeded  by  ex- 
Superintendent  Kennedy.  This  comprised  Superintendent 
Rehm's  police  experience  up  to  his  present  appointment. 
The  experiences  of  a  Chief  of  Police  during  his  successive 
terms  of  office  would  form  volumes  of  criminal  history.  The 
sudden  growth  of  a  great  city  invariably  multiplies  the 
agents  of  crime,  and  no  city  observed  a  better  illustration  of 
the  fact. 

After  the  appointment  of  Mr.  Kennedy,  Mr.  Rehm  accept- 
ed a  position  in  the  United  States  Revenue  office  in  this  city. 
He  then  entered  the  malt  business  on  his  own  account,  which 
has  proven  very  successful.  His  establishment  still  stands 
in  the  vicinity  of  Clybourne  Avenue  Bridge. 


POLICE    FORCE.  151 


WILLIAM  BUCKLEY. 


The  Captain  of  the  First  District  of  Police  was  born  in 
Ballyhone,  parish  of  Afhane,  county  of  Waterford,  Ireland, 
June  9,  1832,  and  is  therefore  about  41  years  of  age.  In 
1848  —  at  the  age  of  16  —  having  spent  his  early  life  at 
school,  he  emigrated  and  came  to  New  York,  where  he  went 
to  work  on  the  farm  of  Col.  George  D.  Coles,  of  Glencoe, 
Queen's  county,  at  a  salary  of  $10  per  month.  In  1856, 
having  spent  a  short  time  on  a  farm  in  Warren  county,  Ohio, 
the  Captain  came  to  Chicago.  He  now  was  placed  in  charge 
of  the  coal  business  of  Col.  R.  J.  Hamilton,  and  subse- 
quently engaged  in  the  same  business  for  Law  &  Strother. 
A  little  experience  as  a  car-driver  and  conductor  followed. 
He  then  joined  the  police  force  in  1865.  Pfomotion  rap- 
idly followed.  As  Roundsman,  Station-Keeper,  and  Ser- 
geant, Mr.  Buckley's  conduct  won  for  him  early,  on  the 
resignation  of  Capt.  Hickey,  the  position  of  Captain,  which 
he  obtained  July  14,  1873,  receiving  the  unanimous  confirm- 
ation of  the  Council.  Among  other  experiences,  Capt. 
Buckley  narrowly  escaped  assassination  at  the  hands  of  the 
supposed  murderers  of  McKeaver,  killed  in  the  race  between 
"Butler"  and  "  Cooley,"  on  the  turf;  Avas  dragged  under 
a  private  carriage  by  a  contumacious  driver  at  the  time  of 
the  Sanitary  Fair  in  Chicago  ;  and  received  a  severe  pum- 
meling  at  the  hands  of  roughs  while  returning  from  St. 
John's  Church  with  his  wife,  March  10,  187 1.  He  tells  with 
gusto  a  great  many  experiences  with  soldiers,  returning 
from  the  war  of  the  rebellion. 


152  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


M.  C.    HICKEY. 


Capt.  Michael  C.  Hickey,  of  the  Second  District,  was 
born  near  the  city  of  Limerick,  Ireland,  April  18,  1826. 
The  close  proximity  of  the  Captain's  birthplace  to  that  city, 
so  deservedly  famed  for  the  beauty  of  her  daughters,  afforded 
him  excellent  opportunities  to  revel  repeatedly  in  love's 
young  and  festive  dream.  His  susceptibilities  were  not 
inclined  that  way,  however.  The  path  that  lay  before  him 
he  perceived  was  one  he  should  construct  with  his  own 
head  and  his  own  hands.  At  the  age  of  18  he  accordingly 
bid  adieu  to  the  environs  of  fair  Limerick,  and  crossed  the 
broad  ocean  to  toil. 

Arriving  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  the  Captain  appren- 
ticed himself  to  the  plumbing  and  gas-fitting  trades.  Four 
years  of  a  stay  here  satisfied  him  that  he  might  do  better. 
He  therefore,  in  1848,  came  to  Chicago.  Up  to  1853  he 
directed  his  energies  to  meat  interests,  acquiring  all  conve- 
nient acquaintances  in  the  meantime.  In  this  year  he  was 
elected  Constable  of  the  Fourth  Ward ;  performing,  at  the 
same  time,  police  duty.  In  1855  he  was  elected  County 
Constable.  Immediately  afterward  he  was  elected  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  and  acted  as  such  up  to  1858.  It  now  came 
to  pass  that  in  an  effort  to  be  re-elected,  he  was  defeated. 
From  1858  up  to  1 861,  he  consequently  built  sewers  under 
the  firm  name  of  Farrell  &  Hickey,  and  did  extraordinarily 
well  for  that  period. 

In  1 86 1  he  joined  the  police  force  as  a  patrolman.     Two 


POLICE    FORCE.  153 

months  had  hardly  elapsed  before  he  was  created  a  Ser- 
geant. The  position  in  those  days  was  not  an  enviable  one, 
the  incumbent  being  required  to  take  care  of  his  men  during 
all  the  hours  of  the  night,  and  at  an  era  in  Chicago's  his- 
tory when  crime  stalked  terrorless  in  broad  daylight.  The 
beat  allotted  to  Capt.  Hickey  out-deviled  any  in  Chicago, 
embracing  the  region  of  which  such  filthy  purlieus  as  Gris- 
wold  street  formed  the  unattractive  center.  In  this  vicinity 
in  1862  he  was  shot  by  burglars,  and  it  was  only  after  five 
months  of  the  best  surgical  treatment  that  his  life  was  saved. 
He  had  just  recovered  when  he  narrowly  escaped  being 
crushed  to   death   l)etvveen   two  cars  on   State  street. 

On  January  i,  1866,  he  was  appointed  Captain.  As  such 
it  is  said  he  has  been  instrumental  in  sending  about  500  evil- 
doers to  the  Penitentiary  —  among  them  the  six  masked 
ruffians  interested  in  the  Jefferson-Snell  robbery ;  and  Cor- 
bett,  Flemming,  and  Kennedy,  the  perpetrators  of  the 
Cicero  murder,  to  the  gallows. 


154  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


FREDERICK   GUND. 


Capt.  Gund  was  born  in  Planckstadt,  Baden,  Germany, 
December  i,  1823.  At  the  age  of  17  he  was  sent  to  a  mili- 
tary school  at  Mannheim,  according  to  the  commendable 
custom  in  vogue  in  Germany.  After  six  years,  impressed 
with  the  attractiveness  of  a  republican  form  of  government, 
he  came  to  America  and  engaged  in  tobacco  manufacture. 
In  1847  he  came  to  Chicago.  In  1854  he  joined  the  police 
force,  and  was  appointed  a  Lieutenant  under  Dyer.  In 
1863  he  was  appointed  Captain  of  the  North  Side.  In  1865 
he  was  elected  a  Police  Commissioner.  At  the  expiration 
of  his  term  he  was  appointed  Captain. 

The  duties  devolving  upon  Capt.  Gund  lie  among  the 
Germans  mainly  ;  and  the  best  endorsement  is  their  entire 
confidence  in  the  Captain. 


Fire   Marshals. 


FIRE    MARSHALS.  157 


MATTHIAS    BENNER. 


The  Chief  Fire  Marshal  is  Matthias  Benner.  He  was 
born  in  Lauffeldt,  Germany,  and  came  to  America  in  1848, 
settling  Avithin  nine  miles  of  Port  Washington,  Wisconsin. 
In  May  5,  1851,  he  came  to  Chicago,  his  family  taking  up 
an  economical  abode  on  State  street,  near  Harrison.  The 
chief,  upon  his  arrival,  entered  a  cigar  shop,  and  subse- 
quently engaged  in  the  trunk  business,  where  he  remained 
for  nine  months.  In  the  meantime,  there  were  very  few 
large  fires  by  night  he  did  not  attend,  ringing  No.  7's  bell 
when  anything  "showed  up."  In  these  .  expeditions  he 
served  on  Hook  and  Ladder  No.  i. 

He  was  not  a  regular  member  of  the  fire  department 
until  arrived  at  the  age  of  eighteen.  He  was  duly  elected 
about  October  10,  1856.  He  remained  a  member  up  to 
April  5,  1859.  He  then  joined  the  Enterprise  No.  2. 
He  then  went  for.  six  months  to  St.  Louis.  In  March, 
i860,  however,  throughthe  misrepresentation  of  a  poli- 
tician, it  is  stated,  Mr.  Benner  was  removed  from  the 
force.  Subsequently,  he  was  invited  back  by  Chief  U.  P. 
Harris,  but  declined.  He  eventually  accepted  a  posit- 
ion on  Hook  and  Ladder  No.  i.  In  a  short  time,  he 
was  transferred  to  the  foremanship  of  the  Island  Queen, 
which  he  held  up  to  April  i,  1861.  Afterwards,  Mr. 
Benner,  at  the  request  of  Mr.  Harris,  took  charge  of 
the  Long  John.  But  at  his  own  request,  he  was  made  a 
private,  to  attend  a  night  school.  The  school  shortly 
failing,  he,  at    the    request   of    the  Board    of   Police,    was 


1^8  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

assigned  to  the  charge  of  Enterprise  No.  2.  This  pos- 
ition he  held  until  May  4,  1868.  He  was  now  appointed 
by  the  Commissioners  Third  Assistant.  He  filled  the 
position  up  to  March,  1871.  Then  he  was  appointed  First 
Assistant,  which  he  filled  up  to  the  time  he  was  appointed 
Chief,  vice  Williams,  removed. 

The  record  of  the  Chief  is  truly  an  eventful  one;  and  it 
is  certain  nobody  was  more  surprised  than  himself  when  he 
was  appointed  Chief  Fire  Marshal. 

Mr.  Benner,  in  November  and  December,  made  an  ex- 
tensive inspection  tour  for  the  purpose  of  improving  his 
department.  Among  other  places,  he  visited  Pittsburgh, 
Washington,  Baltimore,  Philadelphia,  New  York,  Brooklyn 
and  Boston;  also,  the  Amoskeag  Works,  and  the  Seneca 
Falls  establishment.  The  result  of  his  visits  will  probably 
be  a  great  improvement  in  the  Fire  Department;  satis- 
factory to  himself,  and  advantageous  to  the  public. 


FIRE    MARSHALS.  159 


DENIS  J.   SWENIE. 


The  First  Assistant  Fire  Marshal  was  born  in  the  city  of 
Glasgow,  Scotland,  in  the  year  1834,  where  he  remained  until 
he  arrived  at  the  age  of  fourteen.  In  1848  he  came  to  Chi- 
cago and  engaged  in  the  harness  trade.  This  engrossed  his 
attention  up  to  the  year  of  1859.  In  the  meantime  Mr. 
Swenie  was  a  member  of  the  volunteer  fire  department, 
running  "  wid  der  masheen  "  more  for  sport  than  anything 
else.  In  1849  he  entered  the  service  as  a  hose  boy  on  No. 
3,  stationed  at  that  time  on  the  corner  of  Wells  and  Kinzie 
streets.  He  subsequently  joined  the  regular  engine  corps. 
In  1852  Mr.  Swenie  went  on  the  "Red  Jacket,"  and  took 
the  position  of  Assistant  Foreman.  In  1854  the  company 
was  disbanded.  Mr.  Swenie  then  returned  to  No.  3.  It 
was  now  that  his  services  became  appreciated.  In  1856  he 
was  appointed  First  Assistent  Engineer.  In  1858  he  was 
appointed  Chief  Engineer,  organizing  the  paid  steam  fire 
department. 

In  those  days  the  position  of  Mr.  Swenie  was  anything 
but  enviable.  The  volunteer  department  considered  the  or- 
ganization of  a  paid  department  as  a  slur  upon  their  honor, 
and  fought  with  a  desperation  worthy  of  a  better  cause.  All 
those  squabbles,  memorable  in  the  annals  of  our  fire  history, 
Mr.  Sweenie  successfully  mastered. 

In  1 86 1  Mr.  Swenie  took  command  of  the  Liberty,  sta- 
tioned on  North  Dearborn  street.  In  1867  the  same  com- 
pany accompanied  him  to  the  command  of  the  Gund.     He 


l6o  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

was  captain  of  this  company  when  appointed  First  Assistant 
Fire  Marshal,  October  i,  1873. 

In  all  the  great  fires  of  his  days  the  First  Assistant  Fire 
Marshal  participated;  among  others,  the  great  fire  of  1857. 
On  this  occasion,  Mr.  Swenie  took  charge  of  the  diggers, 
and  recovered  eighteen  bodies  out  of  twenty-three  supposed 
to  have  been  lost.  His  traveling  in  pursuit  of  interesting 
information  to  further  the  interests  of  the  Fire  Depart- 
ment is  extensive;  and  there  are  a  great  many  who  rank 
Mr.  Swenie  to-day  among  the  foremost  firemen  of  the 
country,  from  the  extent  of  his  experience. 

In  the  great  fire,  Marshal  Swenie,  taking  charge  of  affairs 
on  the  North  Side,  saved,  it  is  said,  five  entire  blocks  in  the 
vicinity  of  Kinzie  street  bridge.     The  engines  in  action  at  * 
the  time  were  Nos.  11,  5,  and  16. 


FIRE     MARSHALS.  l6l 


CHARLES  S.  PETRIE. 


The  Second  Assistant  is  Charles  S.  Petrie.  He  was  born 
in  Chicago,  Sept.  25,  1840,  and  studied  at  the  Kinzie  Public 
School.  His  educational  course  was  further  extended  by 
a  term  at  St.  Joseph's  Catholic  School  in  this  city,  and  aft- 
erwards at  South  Bend.  At  the  age  of  13,  or  thereabouts, 
he  went  to  work  at  Fuller's  old  light  -  house.  Here  he  was 
employed  for  about  three  years.  He  then  went  into  McCor- 
mick's  manufacturing  establishment,  and  then  into  Wright's 
machine  shop.  In  the  meantime,  he  served  in  the  Volunteer 
Fire  Department.  He  now  went  South,  and  served  as  As- 
sistant Engineer  on  the  Mississippi.  At  the  breaking  out  of 
the  war  he  returned  to  Chicago,  and  joined  the  Steam  Fire 
Department,  serving  as  stoker  on  Engine  3.  In  1866,  he 
went  upon  the  "  Rice  "  as  stoker.  Thence  he  was  promoted 
to  the  engineership.  He  was  then  appointed  Engineer  on 
No.  3,  the  "  James." 

In  1872,  he  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  Third  Assist- 
ant, and  in  the  same  year  to  the  Second  Assistantship.  It 
is  in  the  mechanical  department  Mr.  Petrie's  energies  are 
most  felt. 


l62  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


WILLIAM    MUSHAM. 


This  gentleman  is  Third  Assistant  Fire  Marshal.  He  was 
born  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  Feb.  9,  1839.  In  February, 
1855,  he  joined  the  Volunteer  Fire  Department  —  at  the 
early  age  of  16.  Meantime,  he  pursued  his  avocation  as  a 
carpenter.  About  1861,  Mr.  Musham  joined  the  Paid  Fire 
Department,  which,  at  that  time,  was  about  fully  organized. 
The  first  engine  our  subject  went  upon  was  the  "  Little  Gi- 
ant," located  on  the  corner  of  Washington  and  Dearborn 
streets.  He  served  here  as  a  pipeman.  He  was  then  trans- 
ferred to  the  "  Atlantic,"  corner  of  State  and  Michigan 
streets.  Having  served  here  for  a  time,  he  was  transferred 
to  the  "  Giant,"  but  after  a  short  time,  resigned  and  went  to 
Philadelphia,  v/here  he  served  on  the  Volunteer  Department, 
on  the  engine  "Fairmount."  Returning  to  Chicago,  he 
went  upon  the  "T.  B.  Brown,"  on  West  Lake  street.  Here 
he  served  as  assistant  foreman  up  to  1868.  He  now  went 
as  Foreman  upon  the  "  Giant,"  located  at  this  time  upon 
Maxwell  street.  After  the  great  fire,  March  i,  1872,  Mr. 
Musham  was  appointed  Third  Assistant  Fire  Marshal. 

The  experience  of  Mr.  Musham  on  our  Fire  Department 
is  quite  varied  ;  among  other  adventures,  suffering  severe 
injuries  by  the  falling  of  a  wall  at  a  fire,  corner  of  LaSalle 
and  Water  streets,  in  1865,  where  two  firemen  were  killed. 


FIRE    MARSHALS.  163 


MAURICE  W.  SHAY. 


The  Fourth  x\ssistant  Fire  Marshal  is  Maurice  W.  Shay. 
He  was  born  in  Nova  Scotia,  in  1832,  and,  as  early  as  1838, 
came  to  Eastport,  Maine,  remembering  the  great  fire  in  that 
city  in  1839,  which  destroyed  three-quarters  of  a  mile  of 
property,  including  many  wharves  and  much  shipping.  In 
1840  he  went  to  Charlestown,  Massachusetts.  In  that  city, 
in  1847,  he  ran  with  the  "  \\'arren  "  engine  company,  and 
with  that  company  went  to  Boston  and  participated  in  'the 
Haverill  street  fire,  which  destroyed  three  squares.  In  1849 
he  went  to  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  in  1850  joined  "Phoenix  " 
engine  company.  In  1852,  he  was  a  member  of  the  Eagle 
Fire  Department  in  Pittsburgh.  In  1855  he  was  elected 
Assistant  Foreman  of  the  company.  In  1856  he  was  elect- 
ed Assistant  Engineer  of  the  Cleveland  Fire  Department, 
He  participated  in  the  New  England  fire  in  that  city. 

Mr.  Shay  then  came  to  Chicago.  Here  his  old  love  accom- 
panied him.  In  1857  he  joined  the  Liberty  Hose  Company, 
No.  6,  as  a  pipeman.  In  1S58  he  was  appointed  Assistant 
Foreman.  In  1861  he  joined  the  Paid  Fire  Department  as 
a  truckman  on  Hook  and  Ladder  No.  i.  In  1862  he  was 
transferred  to  engine  6,  the  "  Little  Giant."  In  1864  he  was 
appointed  Foreman  of  engine  comi)any  No.  9,  the  "  Sher- 
man." In  1867  he  accepted  the  foremanship  of  No.  13, 
the  "Titsworth."  Here  he  stayed  until  detailed  Assistant 
Fire  Marshal,  in  October,  1873.  In  all  the  great  fires  of 
his   days   Mr.  Shay  participated,  with  high  honors. 


1,64  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


LEO    MEYERS. 


The  Fifth  Assistant  Marshal  is  Leo  Meyers,  aged  about 
thirty-nine,  of  French  extraction  ;  was  born  on  the  North 
Side,  and  is  distinguished  by  the  reputation  of  being  the 
Chesterfield  of  the  Fire  Department.  He  is  very  popular. 
Mr.  Meyers  joined  the  Volunteer  Fire  Department  probably 
at  the  age  of  fourteen,  and,  up  to  the  organization  of  the 
Fire  Department,  followed  iron  moulding,  being  for  some 
time  foreman  in  Letz'  foundry.  He  first  served  as  a  torch 
boy  on  No.  3,  the  "Niagara;"  became  Foreman  of  the 
"Island  Queen;"  held  the  same  position  on  the  "U.  P. 
Harris;"  was  at  one  time  Assistant  Engineer  under  U.  P. 
Harris ;  and  also  served  as  Foreman  of  the  "  Tempest  Hose" 
and  of  the  "Babcock."  On  October  5,  1873,  he  was  ap- 
pointed Marshal  under  Chief  Benner. 


HYDROGEN    GAS    MACHINE.  1 65 


J.    J.    WADE, 

95  South  Desplaines  street,  a  prominent  phmiber  and  gas 
fitter,  has  gotten  up  a  Hydrogen  Gas  Machine,  which  is  ben- 
eficial to  the  public  in  the  fitting  up  of  buildings  where 
tanks  are  in  u^e,  as  there  is  no  fire  connected  with  it,  and 
the  lead  is  put  together  without  the  use  of  solder,  therefore 
saving  from  thirty  to  forty  per  cent,  in  labor  and  material. 
This  machine  is  indispensable  in  the  fitting  up  of  chemical, 
vinegar,  distilling,  and  other  works  where  acids  are  in  use. 
The  value  of  the  instrument  is  enhanced  by  the  fact  that 
it  lessens  the  liability  to  fire  in  large  public  buildings.  Mr. 
Wade  has  been  connected  with  the  plumbing  and  gas  fitting 
interests  of  Chicago  for  over  sixteen  years,  and  has  accom- 
plished the  work  on  our  most  prominent  public  structures. 


Board  of   Public  Works. 


BOARD    OF    PUBLIC    WORKS.  1 69 


REDMOND   PRINDIVILLE. 


Mr.  Prindiville  was  born  in  the  southern  part  of  Ireland, 
in  1826,  of  parents  of  the  purest  description  of  Norman 
about  them.  His  father  and  uncle  took  degrees  in 
Trinity.  At  a  very  early  age,  Redmond  was  borne  to 
the  State  of  New  York,  whence  he  was  removed  to  Michi- 
gan for  a  time,  to  suit  the  convenience  of  the  family,  most 
probably.  At  nine,  he  entered  Chicago.  From  this  time 
up  to  1849,  it  might  be  said  that  Redmond  divided  his 
days  between  sailing  and  attending  school;  holding  a  cap- 
taincy at  17,  and  until  he  was  23.  He  now  connected  him- 
self with  the  Galena  Railroad;  and  in  various  positions  he 
remained  in  the  service  of  this  corporation  up  to  1855,  when 
he  resigned.  Since,  Mr.  Prindiville  has  identified  himself 
extensively  with  river  interests,  owning,  at  the  present,  con- 
siderable shipping.  He  was  appointed  to  the  Board  in 
December,  1869.  He  served  in  the  Council  from  i860  to 
'62,  from  the  then  Eighth  Ward. 


170  THE    GREAT    KEVOLU'ITON. 


WILLIAM   II.  CARTER. 


Commissioner  Carter  was  born  in  Lancaster,  Worcester 
county,  Massachusetts,  in  1821.  He  is,  accordingly,  53 
years  of  age.  When  about  eight  years  old,  Mr.  Carter  went 
to  Franklin  county,  and  worked  there  diligently  on  a  farm 
for  some  time.  He  went  to  school  there,  and  subsequently 
to  the  Academy  at  East  Hampton,  Massachusetts.  He 
thence  went  to  Springfield,  in  the  same  State,  and  engaged 
in  building.  He  was  at  this  time  but  20.  He  went  now  to 
Northampton,  and  built  there,  among  other  structures,  the 
House  of  Correction. 

In  the  Fall  of  1853,  Mr.  Carter  came  to  Chicago,  and 
pursued  building  up  to  the  time  of  his  election  to  the  Coun- 
cil, where  he  served  in  1855  and  1856.  In  1857,  he  served 
on  the  Board  of  Education.  In  February,  1868,  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Public  Works. 

He  retired  with  the  success  of  the  People's  Party ;  giving 
place  to  Louis  Wahl. 


BOARD    OF    PUBLIC     WORKS.  171 


J.  K.  THOMPSON. 


Mr.  Thompson  was  born  in  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  in  1816,  and 
followed  building  up  to  1857.  In  July,  1855,  he  came  to 
Chicago.  In  March,  1857,  Mr.  Thompson  was  given  the 
full  control  of  bridges  and  public  buildings.  In  i86i,when 
the  Board  was  organized,  he  was  appointed  Superintendent 
of  Streets  and  Public  Buildings,  a  position  he  has  filled 
with  great  ability.  He  is  the  parent  of  the  present  style  of 
bridges. 

In  his  peculiar  sphere  Commissioner  Thompson,  it  is 
said,  stands  without  an  equal.  It  has  been  intimated  that  a 
desideratum,  municipally,  would  be  an  Inspector  of  Public 
Buildings.  If  such  an  office  were  made,  it  would,  most 
probably,  be  tendered  to  Mr.  Thompson. 


172  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


LOUIS   WAHL. 


Louis  Wahl,  over  whose  selection  as  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Public  Works  so  much  of  a  stir  was  made  in  the 
Common  Council,  was  born  at  Pirmassens,  in  Rhenish  Bava- 
ria, in  1830.  He  is  of  pure  German  extraction,  and  his  con- 
nections, wherever  found,  rank  very  high  in  society.  His 
father  was  attached  to  the  Bavarian  Crown  in  the  capacity 
of  tax  collector,  and  his  uncles  at  one  time  represented  five 
million  francs  in  Paris,  France.  One  of  those  relatives  is  at 
present  Superintendent  of  the  Road  from  Paris  to  the  Med- 
iterranean. He  was  probably  the  only  prominent  German 
who,  during  the  unpleasantness  between  France  and  Prussia, 
was  not  hustled  out  of  Paris. 

In  1847,  the  Wahl  family,  removing  to  America,  Mr.  Louis 
Wahl's  father  entered  the  glue  business  in  Milwaukee,  and 
achieved  an  independent  fortune.  The  business,  like  many 
other  foreigners  upon  their  arrival  on  these  shores,  he  picked 
up  accidentally,  and  established.  His  success  may  be  judged 
from  the  fact  that  he  left,  as  an  inheritance  to  his  sons,  the 
magnificent  sum  of  $200,000.  Besides  this,  he  established 
the  facilities  for  a  glue  house  in  Chicago  for  them.  In  1850 
Louis  Wahl,  in  company  with  his  brother  Christian,  took  a 
portion  of  the  fortune  left  them  and  made  the  trip  to  Cali- 
fornia; and  it  might  be  said  passed  through  the  Golden 
Gate  to  amass  a  fortune  in  Chicago. 

They  came  to  this  city  in  1854.  The  first  place  they  con- 
structed their  glue  works  (their  father's  success  having  urged 
them  to  stick  to  glue)  was  on    the  North  Branch.     In   1856 


BOARD    OF    PUBLIC    WORKS. 


173 


they  removed  to  their  present  location,  situated  on  Broad 
street  near  Thirty-first.  At  the  outset  they  sent  out  50,000 
pounds  of  glue  annually.  Their  present  production  is 
3,000,000  pounds;  the  amount  of  capital  invested  is  $600,- 
000,  and  their  business  is  probably  the  largest  in  the  world. 

The  political  position  of  Louis  Wahl  has  been  on  the  Re- 
publican side ;  though  he  cast  his  first  vote  for  Pierce  in 
1852.  He  never  cared  much  for  office,  on  account  of  the 
immense  requirements  of  his  business.  Among  the  posi- 
tions of  trust  he  held,  however,  was  a  position  in  the  State 
Legislature,  and  a  Commissionership  of  Bridewell.  A  great 
effort  was  also  made  to  run  him  for  Mayor  in  last  fall's  elec- 
tion, on   the   Citizen's   Union   ticket. 

His  election  to  the  Board  of  Public  Works  was  bitterly 
opposed,  on  account  of  his  presumed  connection  with  an 
effort  to  once  bribe  the  Aldermen  in  reference  to  the  Ford 
contract.  It  is  stated,  nevertheless,  that  Mr.  Wahl  knew 
nothing  of  the  attempt ;  handing  over  to  a  certain  party  a 
certain  sum  of  money,  with  no  knowledge  whatever  of  its 
disposition.  This  money  reached  certain  Aldermen,  it  ap- 
pears, subsequently.  The  probable  presumption  of  Mr. 
Wahl  was  that  it  was  merely  a  present  to  an  editor  for  the 
influence  of  his  newspaper. 


Board  of    Health. 


BOARD    OK    HKALIH.  177 


DR.  HAHN. 


Dr.  Hahn,  the  President  of  the  Board  of  Health,  was 
born  in  the  east.  He  graduated  in  Jefferson  Medical  Col- 
lege, and  for  a  time  was  connected,  as  a  resident  physician, 
in  Blockley  College,  of  Philadelphia.  He  subsequently 
removed  to  Chicago. 

The  Doctor's  experience,  as  spoken  of  in  Chicago,  is 
ranked  among  that  of  the  highest  in  the  profession. 

Among  other  political  positions  he  has  held  that  of  an 
alderman. 


lyS  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


CHARLES  E.  MOORE. 


Charles  E.  Moore  was  born  in  Dublin,  Ireland,  in  1825. 
In  1837  he  went  to  Albany,  N.  Y.,  where  he  remained  until 
1848.  Here  he  learned  the  trade  of  masonry.  While  here 
he  was  a  member  of  the  Emmett  Guards,  and  offered  his 
services  in  the  Mexican  war,  with  that  organization.  They 
were  not  called  out,  however. 

In  1848,  Mr.  Moore  came  to  Chicago  and  worked  at  his 
trade.  In  i860  he  made  the  trip  to  Pike's  Peak.  Returning 
in  1 86 1,  he  entered  the  army,  and  for  three  years  and  three 
months  served  as  Major  of  the  23d,  which,  in  company  with 
Col.  Mulligan  and  others,  he  helped  in  organizing. 

Among  the  positions  of  public  trust  he  has  filled  were  the 
Aldermanship  of  the  Seventh  AVard  and  Police  Judgeship. 
Resigning  the  latter,  he  was  subsequently  chosen  to  the 
Board  of  Health. 


BOARD    OF    HEALTH. 


179 


GEORGE  SGHLCETZER. 


'I'his  gentleman  was  born  in  Kusel,  Rhenish  Bavaria,  and 
is  52  years  of  age.  His  early  life  was  spent  in  a  very  class- 
ical atmosphere  ;  which  the  observer  of  the  Doctor's  habits 
and  predilections  to-day  may  easily  surmise.  His  father 
was  the  chief  medical  officer  in  the  Bavarian  army,  at  one 
time,  and  participated  therewith  in  the  Russian  campaign. 

Educated  in  Munich,  Dr.  Schloetzer  practiced  medicine 
in  the  locality  of  that  name  as  well  as  in  Prague  and  Brus- 
sels, and  very  considerably  throughout  all  Germany.  He 
came  to  Chicago  fifteen  years  ago,  and  has  devoted  himself 
to  his  practice  ever  since.  He  entered  the  Board  of  Health 
in  1869;  was  the  City  Physician  at  one  time;  and  is  at 
present  connected  with  the  Protestant  Diaconese  Hospital. 


l8o  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


BEN.  C  MILLER. 


Dr.  Miller  was  born  in  Putnam  county,  Indiana,  and  hav- 
ing received  an  academical  education  at  Battle  Ground,  Indi- 
ana, joined  the  army  at  17  —  Company  K,  loth  Indiana 
Cavalry  ;  rising  from  the  ranks  to  a  First  Lieutenantcy,  in 
the  Army  of  the  Cumberland.  In  1865  Ben.  studied  medi- 
cine in  his  father's  office,  and  soon  graduated  at  Rush  Med- 
ical College.  He  then  entered  Cook  County  Hospital,  and 
in  1869  was  appointed  County  Physician. 

Dr.  Miller  was  appointed  Superintendent  of  Public  Char- 
ities for  Cook  county  in  1872.  In  this  position  he  effected 
incalculable  good,  especially  in  the  matter  of  hospitals.  A 
comparison  of  the  expenditures  of  his  year  and  of  the  year 
previous  shows  a  reduction  in  his  favor  of  over  $100,000. 
He  was  subsequently  selected  to  his  present  office  —  the 
Health  Superintendency.  Here  he  has  perfected  the  pres- 
ent admirable  vaccination  regulations. 


BOARD    OF    HEALTH.  l8l 


JOSEPH    McDERMOTT. 

Joseph  McDermott  was  born  in  Durrow,  King's  county, 
Ireland,  in  1827.  When  arrived  at  the  age  of  twenty,  he 
came  to  this  country,  and  settled  in  New  York,  in  the  liquor 
traffic.  x\fter  a  successful  experience  there,  he  came  to 
Chicago,  and  resumed  the  same  business.  He  is  engaged 
therein  at  present. 

Politically,  Mr.  McDermott  is  a  Democrat.  He  never 
sought  office  much,  and  his  selection  to  the  Board  of  Health 
probably  surprised  him  somewhat. 

Mr.  Moses  Hook. —  This  gentleman  has  also  just  been 
elected  to  the  Board  of  Health. 


Police  Justices. and  Clerk. 


POLICE    JUSTICES    AND    CLERK.  1 85 


DANIEL  SCULLY. 


The  name  of  Daniel  Scully  is  a  household  word  in  a  very 
large  region.  There  never  was  a  more  efficient  Justice 
elected   in   the   city  of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Scully  was  born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  March  28, 
1839.  When  the  boy  was  two  years  old,  his  parents  removed 
to  McHenry  county.  Here  the  old  folks  placed  him  in 
charge  of  the  farm.  Agricultural  pursuits  were  not  sympa- 
thetic with  the  disposition  of  the  Judge.  He  looked  for 
better  things. 

In  those  days  it  was  habitual  with  men  of  remarkable  pro- 
clivities to  get  all  the  information  they  could.  With  this 
end  in  view,  the  Judge,  in  the  year  i860,  devoted  himself  to 
teaching  school.  The  more  he  taught,  the  more  he  became 
convinced  that  he  needed  to  learn  something  himself.  His 
education  he  considered  simply  fortuitous.  So  it  was.  Ac- 
cordingly, in  the  fall  of  i860.  Mr.  Scully  went  to  St.  Mary's 
of  the  Lake.  Here  he  graduated,  after  two  years,  in  the 
scientific  and  commercial  departments.  His  conduct  here 
elicited  a  very  complimentary  notice  from  Dr.  McMuUen, 
the  principal  of  the  institution. 

In  1863  and  1864  Judge  Scully  studied  law  in  the  Chicago 
Law  School,  under  the  control  of  Judge  Booth,  at  present 
of  the  Circuit  Court.  Wlien  graduated,  he  received  a  hand- 
some compliment  from  the  principal,  being  the  only  one  out 
of  a  class  of  thirty-four  who  had  not  been  in  a  law  office. 

A  promiscuous  line  of  life  followed  his  honors.  The  edu- 
cational   seemed   to  have   the   mastery,   however.       Having 


l86  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

graduated  in  law,  Mr.  Scully  made  a  tour  of  Iowa  and  Min- 
nesota ;  but  failing  to  discover  any  favorable  locality  where- 
in to  throw  out  his  shingle,  he  came  to  Chicago.  He  now 
entered  the  office  of  Willard  &:  Quinn,  and  devoted  himself 
rigidly  to  study.  The  result  was  a  success  that  promises  to 
be  permanent. 

The  Judge  has  been  appointed  Police  Justice  three  times 
by  an  overwhelming  vote.  Among  other  honors,  he  has 
served  Hartland,  in  McHenry  county,  as  Town  Supervisor. 


POLICE    JUSTCES    AND    CLERK.  187 


H.  A.  KAUFMANN. 

The  Justice  of  the  North  Division  Police  Court  is  Henry 
Aaron  Kaufmann,  a  gentleman  whose  admirers  north  of  the 
river,  it  is  said,  are  very  numerous.  His  progress  so  far  in 
public  life,  it  is  certain,  is  only  the  result  of  an  industrious 
attention  to  the  minutest  details  of  the  various  stations  in 
life  allotted  to  him. 

Mr.  Kaufmann  was  born  in  Hesse-Darmstadt,  in  1821. 
Early  in  life,  conceiving  an  idea  that  a  young  and  rising 
region  possessed  availabilities  not  discoverable  elsewhere, 
Mr.  Kaufmann  came  to  America,  and,  after  prospecting 
somewhat,  settled  in  Chicago. 

His  first  introduction  to  public  life,  it  may  be  said,  was 
while  employed  by  the  city  as  a  police  patrolman  and  detec- 
tive. Thus  engaged,  Mr.  Kaufmann  enjoyed  ample  oppor- 
tunities for  forming  friendships  —  acquisitions  he  succeeded 
admirably  in  securing. 

Being  moderately  ambitious,  Mr.  Kaufmann,  subsequent  to 
his  retirement  from  the  police  force,  was  elected  a  Town 
Supervisor.  The  next  prominent  office  of  public  trust  await- 
ing him  was  the  Police  Justiceship  of  the  North  Division. 


l88  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


MARTIN  SCULLY. 


The  Clerk  of  the  South  Side  Police  Court  is  Martin 
Scully.  He  was  born  in  the  county  of  Tipperary,  Ireland, 
in  1835.  In  1 85 1  he  emigrated  to  America,  and  learned  the 
moulding  business.  This  avocation  he  pursued  up  to  his 
election.  When  the  war  broke  out  Mr.  Scully  entered  the 
23d  Illinois  regiment,  under  Mulligan,  and  was  very  soon 
appointed  Sergeant  of  Company  K.  When  the  siege  of  Lex- 
ington took  place.  Sergeant  Scully  succeeded  in  showing  an 
extraordinary  hand,  turning  out  1,600  weight  of  shot  from  a 
rebel  foundry.at  the  time  of  the  bombardment.  He  was  here 
captured,  but  was  subsequently  exchanged,  among  the  Camp 
Jackson  prisoners.  In  1861  he  was  mustered  out  at  St.  Louis. 
Returning  to  Chicago,  in  company  with  Capt.  Shanley  he 
raised  a  company  and  took  100  men  to  the  famous  Sixty- 
Ninth,  the  Irish  regiment.  Promotion  soon  followed,  serving 
at  the  battle  of  Fair  Oaks  as  Second  Lieutenant.  After  the 
battle  of  Antietam  he  was  appointed  Captain.  At  Fair  Oaks 
Mr.  Scully  was  wounded.  He  was  present  also  at  the  seven 
days  fidit  under  Gen.  McClellan.  The  history  of  Capt.  Scully 
can  be  learned  at  a  glance  when  it  is  told  that  himself  and 
two  others  were  the  sole  survivors  of  Company  D,  of  the 
Sixty-Ninth.  When  the  Fenian  excitement  broke  out,  Capt. 
Scully  went  to  Ireland,  and  was  arrested  in  the  city  of  Cork. 
Returning  in  1869,  he  was  elected  Clerk  of  the  North  Side 
Police  Court.  In  1873  he  was  elected  Chief  Clerk  on  the 
People's  ticket.  Aside  from  his  political  history,  Mr.  Scully 
has  always  taken  an  active  part  in  the  interests  of  the  work- 
ins;  men. 


COLLFXTORS  AND  ASSESSORS. 


COLLECTORS    AND    ASSESSORS.  Ipl 


GEORGE   VON   HOLLEN. 


This  gentleman  is  the  City  Collector.  He  was  born  in 
the  village  of  Drifthsethe,  in  Hanover,  Germany,  March  2, 
1834,  and,  up  to  the  age  of  fifteen,  devoted  himself  to  farm- 
ing. At  this  age  he  left  Fatherland,  arriving  in  New  York 
in  1849.  Here  he  gave  his  services  to  a  grocer,  and  subse- 
quently to  a  butcher.  In  1854,  he  came  to  Chicago.  Here 
he  resumed  the  business  prosecuted  in  the  east.  Being  a 
first-class  Republican,  Mr.  Von  Hollen  soon  became  thor- 
oughly identified  with  politics.  From  1863  to  1865,  he  rep- 
resented the  Eleventh  Ward  in  the  Common  Council.  At 
the  expiration  of  his  term,  he  entered  the  Post-ofifice  and 
acted  as  foreman  of  foreign  and  general  delivery.  In  1869, 
he  was  a  candidate  for  City  Collector  on  the  Republican 
ticket,  but  was  defeated.  In  September,  1870,  he  was  ap- 
pointed a  member  of  the  Board  of  Health,  This  position 
he  resigned  in  187 1,  when  elected  on  the  Fire-proof  ticket  to 
the  position  of  City  Collector.  His  majority  wa<  over  0,000. 
In  1873,  espousing  the  People's  ticket,  he  was  re-elected  by 
a  majority  of  over  10,000. 

The  experience  of  Mr.  Von  Hollen  during  th.e  war, 
for  his  adopted  country,  was  not  very  pleasant.  Among 
other  tribulations,  he  was  captured  by  Morgan's  guerillas 
while  administering  to  the  wounded  and  sick  boys  of  the 
Twenty-Fourth  Illinois,  after  the  battle  of  Perryville,  Ken- 
tucky. In  this  engagement,  his  brother,  Bernhard,  was 
killed. 

In   1868,   Mr.  Von  Hollen  was  elected   President  of  the 


192 


'J'HE    GREA'l     REVOIA  TION. 


North  Side  'I'urner  Society,  of  which   he  is  a  distinguished 
member. 

It  is  very  rarely  found  that  the  dry  duties  of  a  City  Col- 
lector correspond  with  the  divine  affinities  of  the  poet.  Mr. 
Von  Hollen,  nevertheless,  has  written  some  of  the  very 
finest  kind  of  German  and  English  verses,  about  one  hun- 
dred of  which  have  graced  the  coiums  of  the  Staats  Zejtung. 


COLLECTORS    AND    ASSESSORS.  193 


COL.  P.  M.  CLEARY. 


The  gentleman  whose  familiar  name  is  observed  at  the 
top  of  this  page  is  Collector  for  the  South  Town  of  Chicago. 
He  was  elected  to  his  position  April  i,  1S73,  by  a  majority 
of  about  1,100. 

He  was  born  in  Nanagh,  county  of  Tipperary,  Ireland, 
April  6,  1826,  and  arrived  on  these  shores  as  long  as  32 
years  ago.  Five  years  of  life  in  New  York  sufficed  for  an 
eager  spirit  like  the  Colonel's.  The  clattering  wheel  and 
the  vulgar  jostle  were  fresh  variety  when  contrasted  with 
the  every-day  life  of  his  native  town  of  Nanagh.  But  the 
combination  grew  monotonous,  at  length.  Col.  Cleary  re- 
solved to  see  the  world.  He  accordingly  selected  Chicago 
as  the  starting-point.  He  had  an  uncle  in  this  city,  in  the 
drug  business ;  and  this  in  itself  was  as  great  an  induce- 
ment as  a  man  of  his  push  needed,  to  try  his  fortune  in  a 
strange  city. 

Here,  fortune  seemed  to  smile  upon  him  at  the  outset. 
He  found  here  a  host  of  friends  just  like  himself — genial, 
broad-hearted,  and  energetic.  What  go-aheadativeness  he 
did  not  bring  with  him  he  procured  with  the  least  possible 
trouble.  He  entered  real  estate  speculation  when  he  had 
secured  a  good  footing,  and  to  this  industry  he  still  devotes 
the  efforts  of  his  matured  business  talent.  Occasionally,  the 
Colonel  takes  a  trip  to  Europe,  and,  when  he  returns,  dwells 
with  ecstacy  upon  the  many  scenes  he  has  observed  there. 

The  Colonel's  acquaintances  tell  stories  of  his  adventures 
13 


194  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

during  the  war,  that  have  beguiled  the  hours  beside  many  a 
pleasant  fireside.  Those  narratives  it  is  not  the  province 
of  the  writer  to  rehearse,  however. 

.Since  his  election  to  his  present  position,  Col.  Cleary  has 
achieved  a  reputation  as  Collector  that  has  elicited  the 
unqualified  approbation  of  the  Press,  having  successfully 
moved  upon  the  banks  which  manifested  so  sturdy  a  desire 
to  resist  payment. 


COLLECTORS    AND    ASSESSORS.  T95 


LAURENCE    O'BRIEN. 


This  gentlemen  is  the  Collector  of  the  West-Town  of 
Chicago,  and  was  elected  April  i,  1873,  on  the  Citizens' 
ticket,  by  a  majority  of  323.  By-the-way,  it  was  rather  a 
coincidence  that  the  three  town  collectors  elected  that  day 
were  all   Irishmen  —  Cleary,  O'Brien,  and  Murphy. 

Mr.  O'Brien  was  born  in  the  town  of  Newport,  in  Tip- 
perary,  Ireland,  about  the  year  1836.  At  the  age  of  17,  our 
subject,  with  an  eye  to  sport  of  the  good  old  Irish  style,  left 
his  native  town  and  took  a  stroll  through  Leinster,  Kildare, 
and  other  places  of  historic  note  in  Ireland.  Among  other 
spots  visited,  Mr.  O'Brien  paid  his  respects  to  the  Curragh, 
the  Heath  of  Marlborough,  the  Castle  of  Lord  Nace,  late 
Governor  of  India,  and  the  beautiful  strawberry  beds  of 
Dublin. 

Mr.  O'Brien  served  four  years  in  the  Irish  constabulary, 
but  was  forced  to  leave  on  account  of  his  nationalistic 
principles.  In  Ireland,  our  subject  followed  baking,  which 
trade  he  there  acquired.  Since  his  advent  to  America,  lie 
has  devoted  himself  mainly  to  the  liquor  traffic. 


1^6  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


JOHN  MURPHY 


This  gentleman  is  Collector  for  the  north  town  of  Chicago, 
and  was  elected  on  the  Workingman's  ticket.  He  was  born 
in  the  borough  of  Ross,  County  Wexford,  Ireland,  in  1841, 
and  left  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  coming  directly  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  worked,  up  to  the  fall  of  1S60,  as  a  machinist. 
He  then  went  to  Pike's  Peak,  where  he  flourished  ;  a  great 
many,  having  been  driven  thither  by  the  well  remembered 
gold  fever,  returning  disheartened.  Mr.  Murphy  now 
returned  to  Chicago,  intending  to  return  to  Pike's  Peak  with 
a  set  of  machinery.  The  war  of  the  Rebellion  waxing 
warmly,  however,  at  the  time,  he  concluded  to  fight  for  his 
adopted  country.  Raising  a  company  of  three  months 
troops,  he  was  elected  Second  Lieutenant  in  the  67th  Illinois, 
of  which  Mr.  Hough  was  Colonel,  and  was  detached  to  guard 
the  prisoners  at  Camp  Douglas.  Thence  he  was  detached 
to  raise  a  company  for  the  90th  Illinois.  Raising  Company 
G,  he  was  elected  its  Captain,  and  in  the  following  Novem- 
ber proceeded  to  the  field.  Assigned  to  Gen.  Denver's 
division,  the  Captain  was  ordered  to  LaGrange,  Tennessee, 
to  protect  the  Memphis  and  Charleston  road.  He  went 
thence  to  Coldwater,  Mississippi,  where  an  engagement  was 
had,  wherein  Gen.  Van  Dorn  met  his  first  repulse ;  to  La- 
fayette, Tennessee ;  to  Vicksburg,  where  he  was  present 
during  the  seige ;  to  the  battle  of  Mission  Ridge,  where  his 
canteen  was  shot  off  him;  to  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  through 
a  barren  country,  to  meet  Longstreet,  who  withdrew  at  the 


COLLECTORS    AND    ASSESSORS.  I97 

sight  of  the  blue;  to  Chattanooga;  and  then  to  Atlanta  with 
Sherman.  Then  came  the  battle  of  Dallas,  where  the  com- 
pany, with  Company  H,  under  command  of  Captain  Murphy, 
were'  placed  on  the  extreme  right,  with  orders  to  fall  back  in 
case  the  Rebels  charged.  A  charge  was  made,  and  the  skir- 
mish line  to  the  left  wavered.  Yet  the  two  companies  under 
Murphy  held  the  line  in  constant  skirmish  from  nine  o'clock 
in  the  evening  until  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning.  The 
Rebels,  supposing  from  the  scattering'fire  kept  up  that  all  of 
the  boys  were  there,  fell  back. 

The  Captain's  company  also  participated  when  McPher- 
son  was  killed,  and  lost  in  the  engagement  their  knapsacks, 
cherished  photographs,  etc.  Subsequently,  when,  the  lines 
clashing,  a  hand-to-hand  fight  ensued,  the  48th  Illinois  were 
knocked  out  of  position,  Murphy  cried  out  to  the  90th  him- 
self, and  the  result  was  a  most  desperate  charge ;  plunging 
through  the  broken  columns  of  the  48th,  killing  or  capturing 
every  man  of  the  enemy,  and  appropriating  six  stands  of 
colors.  All  through  this  campaign  the  gallantry  of  Captain 
Murphy  was  well  recognized,  and  when  mustered  out  in 
June,  1865,  he  was  loaded  down  with  honors. 


198  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


CHARLES  DEXXEHY. 


Charles  Dennehy  took  a  prominent  part  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  People's  Party.  His  counsels  and  influence 
went  a  good  ways  to  form  a  rational  and  conservative 
platform.  Mr.  Dennehy,  it  is  understood,  was  one  of 
the  number  who  called  the  first  meeting  and  laid  the 
foundation  for  the  new  party.  The  difficulties  to  be  en- 
countered were,  to  harmonize  conflicting  elements  and 
reconcile  men  who,  for  years  past,  had  been  bitter  political 
opponents.  It  was  apparent  to  him,  as  to  others,  that  the 
only  sure  road  to  success  was  to  unite  the  liberal  American, 
Irish,  and  German  people  on  one  common  platform,  regard- 
less of  former  political  affiliations. 

Mr.  Dennehy  being  known  as  a  thorough  representa- 
tive Irishman,  combined  with  his  personal  popularity 
with  all  classes  of  citizens,  the  People's  Party  unani- 
mously placed  his  name  on  their  ticket  for  the  important 
position  of  City  Assessor.  As  an  evidence  of  the  high  es- 
teem in  which  he  is  held  by  his  fellow  citizens,  he  ran  very 
strongly  upon  his  ticket.  It  is  needless  to  say  that  no  better 
selection  could  have  been  made  for  the  discharge  of  the  im- 
portant duties  of  the  office  to  which  he  has  been  elected. 

Mr.  Dennehy  possessing  the  adventurous  spirit  of  his  race, 
emigrated  from  County  Kerry,  Ireland,  in  the  17th  year  of 
his  age,  to  this  country.  He  has  lived  in  Chicago  for  the 
past  twenty  years,  and  by  his  honesty,  industry,  and  business 
tact  has  acquired  a  liberal  fortune.     He  is  now  a  member  of 


COLLECTORS    AND    ASSESSORS.  199 

the  well-known  firm  of  Weadly,  Dennehy  &  Cleary,  a  relia- 
ble and  leading  wholesale  liquor  house.  During  the  past 
four  years,  he  has  filled  the  office  of  North  Town  Assessor, 
to  the  perfect  satisfaction  of  all.  His  knowledge  of  real 
estate  and  his  unblemished  character  pre-eminently  qualify 
him  for  the  very  responsible  position  to  which  he  has  been 
so  handsomely  elected  by  the  people. 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


EDWARD    PHILLIPS. 


Mr.  Phillips,  Assessor  of  the  South  Town  of  Chicago,  was 
born  in  the  County  of  Cavan,  Ireland,  in  1837.  In  1840,  he 
left  his  native  place,  and  went  to  Schenectady,  New  York. 
After  a  stay  of  five  years  there,  he  went  to  the  city  of  New 
York.  The  Phillips  family  had  not  been  settled  comfort- 
ably in  the  metropolis  more  than  four  years,  it  seems,  when 
a  westward  yearning  brought  them  inevitably  to  Chicago. 
The  boy  declined  to  come  as  yet,  however.  He  desired  a 
little  more  experience  in  life  in  the  great  city.  Five  years 
more  of  it  induced  him  to  pack  up  also,  and  come  west. 

No  sooner  had  he  arrived  than  his  adventurous  spirit 
enlisted  him  in  the  ranks  of  Fire  Company  No.  6,  where 
he  ran  with  Ex-Fire  Marshal  Williams,  Capt.  Connors,  and 
others.  Tiring  of  Chicago,  a  trip  to  Memphis  in  '59  fol- 
lowed. Then,  in  1861,  he  returned  to  Chicago.  In  the 
same  year,  he  became  connected  with  the  Chicago  City 
Railway  Company,  and,  during  his  service  there,  invented 
the  improved  one-horse  cars.  He  was  elected  to  his  position 
in  1873,  on  an  Independent  ticket. 

Throughout  his  varied  experiences,  Mr.  Phillips  can  sub- 
stantiate the  appreciation  of  his  friends  by  several  substan- 
tial testimonials. 


COLLECTORS    AND    ASSESSORS. 


ALBERT    PATCH. 


This  gentleman  is  the  Assessor  of  the  North  Town  of 
Chicago.  He  has  been  elected  three  times,  the  last  by  the 
votes  of  not  only  Republicans  but  of  Democrats.  In' fact, 
if  it  were  not  for  the  votes  of  his  Democratic  friends,  it  is 
the  general  opinion  he  would  not  be  elected. 

The  Assessor  was  born  in  Worcester,  Massachusetts,  in 
1827,  and  thence  went  at  the  age  of  19,  to  Haverill,  Mass., 
where  he  engaged  in  the  business  of  polishing  pianos  and 
other  furniture,  for  the  space  of  five  years,  in  which  he  was 
an  eminent  success.  Hence  he  went  to  Lawrence,  Mass., 
and  engaged  in  an  unsuccessful  dry  goods  business.  He 
then  came  to  Chicago,  and  resumed  his  former  occupation. 
In  1856,  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  stayed  for  about 
four  years.  Now  he  returned  to  Chicago,  and  continued  in 
the  polishing  business,  which,  becoming  dull  —  to  use  his 
own  words  —  he  engaged  in  the  butter  business,  and  slipped 
up  on  it.  He  then  went  into  the  real  estate  business,  in 
which  he  is  at  present  engaged. 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


A.  L.  AMBERG. 


The  Assessor  for  the  West  Town  of  Chicago  is  Adam  L. 
Amberg.  This  gentleman  was  born  in  New  Jersey,  May  22, 
1841,  but  recollects  very  few  experiences  connected  with 
his  native  place,  from  the  fact  that  he  left  there  when  one 
year  old  to  come  (in  company  with  his  parents)  to  Chicago. 
The  public  life  of  Mr.  Amberg  is  not  a  very  extensive  one. 
It  was  not  before  1869  that  he  aspired  to  public  emolu- 
ment. In  this  year,  he  was  appointed  Clerk  of  the  West 
Side  Police  Court,  on  the  Citizens"  ticket.  He  was  subse- 
quently re-appointed  on  the  Fire-proof  ticket.  His  conduct 
during  both  terms  was  such  as  to  commend  him  to  the  peo- 
ple's suffrages  for  the  position  of  West  Town  Assessor,  to 
which  he  was  elected  in  April,  1S73. 


Common   Council. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  205 


WILLIAM  H.  RICHARDSON. 


For  a  gentleman  of  34,  Mr.  Richardson,  one  of  the  Al- 
dermen, representing  the  First  Ward,  has  seen  experience  in 
juristic  matters  not  often  witnessed.  It  is  probably  a  fact 
that  there  is  no  lawyer  who  prosecutes  a  more  extensive 
criminal  business  of  a  respectable  character  in  the  county 
than  he.  The  matter  is  quite  inevitable  from  the  fact  that, 
almost  ever  since  he  has  begun  practice,  he  has  been  asso- 
ciated with  such  men  as  Judge  Knox,  Carlos  Haven,  and 
Charles  H.  Reed.  With  the  last-named,  the  Alderman,  for 
a  number  of  years,  was  in  partnership.  About  the  year 
1870,  Mr.  Reed  assuming  the  robes  of  the  State's  Attorney, 
the  partnership  was  dissolved.  Mr.  Richardson  has  con- 
ducted practice  alone  ever  since. 

The  Alderman  was  born  near  Buffalo,  in  1840.  In  1857, 
he  went  to  Andover,  Massachusetts,  where  he  proceeded 
through  a  preparatory  curriculum.  About  the  year  1S61,  he 
came  to  Chicago,  and  read  law,  first  with  Judge  Knox,  and 
subsequently  with  other  prominent  lawyers.  In  1872,  he  was 
elected  Alderman  of  the  First  Ward  on  the  "  Law  and  Or- 
der "  ticket.  He  vanquished  a  strong  man  when  he  worst- 
ed Mr.  Philip  Conley. 


2o6  THE    GREAT    REVOLL  1  ION. 


THOMAS  FOLEY. 


Certainly,  Mr.  Foley,  the  billiard  king,  is  a  self-made  man  ; 
having  spent  just  three  months  in  school;  and  since  then  he 
has  been  struggling  against  difficulties  which  to  another  man 
would  seem  insurmountable. 

Mr.  Foley  was  born  in  Cashel,  county  of  Tipperary,  Ire- 
land, August  1 6,  1842.  In  the  fall  of  '49  he  went  to  New 
York.  Here  he  stayed  for  about  five  years.  At  the  early 
age  of  twelve  he  came  to  Chicago,  and  became  employed 
brushing  billiard  tables  in  the  old  Tremont  House.  In  i860 
he  went  to  the  Briggs  House,  and  took  charge  of  the  bar. 
Here  he  remained  until  1865,  when,  importuned,  he  went  to 
Milwaukee  and  took  charge  of  billiardistic  matters  in  the 
well  known  Newhall  House.  Tiring  of  this,  he  came  back 
to  Chicago  and  engaged  in  business  for  himself,  at  the  cor- 
der  of  Dearborn  and  Monroe  streets.  Thence  he  removed 
to  his  old,  good-natured  stand  opposite  the  Post-office,, 
where  others  had  failed  repeatedly.  Mr.  Foley's  friends 
delight  in  calling  attention  to  the  fact,  as  an  evidence  of  his 
sterling  popularity.  In  this  locality  Mr.  Foley  stayed  up  to 
the  fire.  To  recount  the  scenes  witnessed  there  among  the 
greatest  billiard  artists  in  the  world,  would  be  nonsense. 
Everybody  has  heard  of  "  Tom.  Foley."  Poor  John  McDevitt 
had  just  left  there  the  night  of  the  great  fire,  before  he  was 
burned,  and  never  found. 

The  fire  wrought  strange  wonders  with  ''  Tom."  Bracing 
himself  up,  nevertheless,  Mr.  Foley  went  over  to  the  West 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  207 

Side,  and  leased  for  $1,500  —  he  did  not  have  a  cent,  to  the 
contrary,  notwithstanding  —  a  basement  under  the  Barnes 
House ;  and,  at  the  same  time,  started  a  jilace  on  Wabash 
avenue,  near  Twenty-Second  street.  Subsequently  he  leased 
his  present  place,  fitted  it  up  at  the  expense  of  $35,000,  and 
made  the  grandest  billiard  palace  in  the  world. 

He  was  elected  Alderman  of  the  First  Ward  on  the  Peo- 
ple's ticket,  and  congratulates  himself  on  the  fact  that  he  is 
a  first-class  Irishman,  and  looks  after  one-fifth  of  the  taxes 
of  the  entire  city. 


2o8  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


FRANCIS  WHITAKER  WARREN. 


This  gentleman  represents  the  Second  Ward,  being  elected 
in  1872,  on  the  Republican  ticket.  He  was  placed  in  his 
position  by  a  handsome  majority. 

He  was  born  in  the  county  of  Sligo,  Ireland,  November 
26,  1839,  where  he  stayed  until  the  age  of  twelve.  Leaving 
his  native  place  at  this  age,  he  proceeded  to  Boston,  Mass., 
where  he  stayed  five  years,  employed  in  the  grocery  trade. 
He  then  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  learned  marble-cut- 
ting. He  subsequently  entered  the  livery  business,  in  which 
he  is  at  present  engaged,  doing  a  successful  business. 

In  the  Council,  Alderman  Warren  acts  on  the  Markets 
and  Wharfing  Privileges  Committee.  He  is  a  "  Law  and 
Order"  man,  strictly  speaking. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  209 


ARTHUR  DIXON. 


Alderman  Dixon  was  elected  to  represent  the  Second 
Ward,  in  1867,  by  a  majority  of  250;  and  in  1869,  by  a  ma- 
jority of  700. 

He  was  born  in  Fermanaugh  county,  Ireland,  in  1838, 
and  when  fifteen,  came  to  Pittsburgh,  Pennsylvania,  and 
sandwiched  an  occasional  tap  on  the  farm.  In  i860  he 
came  to  Chicago,  and  was  engaged  as  a  porter  in  a  grocery 
store.  He  shortly  after  engaged  in  teaming,  and  prosecutes 
the  same  to-day  on  an  extensive  scale,  giving  all  the  time 
and  attention  demanded.  He  exactly  knows  the  require- 
ments, having  handled  the  lines  on  every  vehicle  known  to 
invention,  from  a  dray  up. 

Politically,  Alderman  Dixon  is  considerable  of  a  success. 
In  1869  he  was  elected  to  a  position  in  the  National  Execu- 
tive Committee,  by  the  Irish  Republican  Convention,  of  which 
he  is  now  Treasurer.  In  1870  he  was  elected  to  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly.  Here  Alderman  Dixon  gained  distinction 
by  his  efforts  in  the  one  mill  tax  matter  on  special  assess- 
ments, and  in  the  alleged  Springfield  clique  question.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Republican  Executive  Committee, 
and  a  member  of  the  Irish  Literary  Society. 


14 


nil'    i.Ki'  A  I    ki'  \«>i,ii  rioN. 


DAVID  C()I<:V. 


l^ylectcd  from  the  Tliird  \\'ard,  on  the  Republican  ticket, 
first  in  1870  —  500  majority.  The  Alderman  is  about  forty- 
six  years  of  age.  He  was  born  of  Scotch- Irish  i)arcnls  (( )hl 
School  Presbyterian),  near  Uelfast,  Ireland,  and,  having 
attended  a  semi-theological  seminary,  look  a  sudden  idea  antl 
a  life  jiartner,  and  left  the  romantic  heath  of  his  father,  to 
grow  wealthy  in  America,  before  he  was  twenty  one.  1  le  was 
all  the  time  bent  ujjon  coming  to  Chicago,  but  went  to  New 
Vork  first,  that  he  might,  by  contrast,  better  in  after  days 
admire  the  inevitable  growth  of  the  westei;n  prairies.  Here 
he  pursued  carpentry  for  a  matter  of  six  years,  when  he  came 
to  Chicago  (in  1S52). 

Resuming  his  trade,  he  drifted  graihially  intt)the  building 
business  on  his  own  account,  to  suffer  in  the  '57  crisis,  'i'lie 
number  of  structures  he  has  erected  since,  iiitiniale  (hat  his 
disaster  was  not  permanent. 

The  Alderman  is  fervent  on  retrcnt  hincnl.  for  a  cpiiel 
man  he  created  considerable  excitement  by  (hanging  Ids  vole 
when  the  appropriation  for  Union  I'ark  canu-  up.  lie 
changed  his  vote  at  i  \:4S,  ''•  M-,  'ind  caused  the  defeat  of  the 
entire  appropriation  bill. 


(  OMMilN    t OL'NCII. 


WILLIAM     l'I'rZ(;i':RALI). 


Aid.  i''it/.^(,T;il(l  \v;is  elected  on  ihc  I'eoplc's  ticket  in 
t.S73  to  represent  the  'I'hird  Ward  —  a  district  said  to  con- 
tain the  largest  number  of  colored  residents  in  the  city. 
Mis  majority  over  the  other  two  candidates  in  the  field  was 
about  480. 

'I"he  Alderman  was  l)orn  in  Coachford,  (Jounty  of  (lork, 
Ireland,  a  little  west  of  the  City  of  Cork,  in  1.S42.  In  J<S5o, 
he  c.ime  to  Skaneateles,  New  V'ork,  where  he  stayed  until 
[858.  in  this  year,  he  went  to  Seneca  Falls,  N.  Y.,  and 
ac(|iiire(l  a  knowledge  of  the  tin  trade.  Having  traveled 
through  nearly  all  of  the  Western  States,  he  finally  came  to 
Chicago,  and  in  1865  made  it  his  permanent  home.  It  was 
not  long  befoie  the  alderman,  realizing  the  vast  promise  of 
trade,  estal>lished  himself  in  the  Iiardwarc  business  at  589 
State  Street,  where  lie  is  still  located.  He  also  started  a 
flourishing  branch  store  at  107  Jilue  Island  Avenue.  The 
fruits  of  his  business  enterprise  are  visible  in  several  sub- 
stantial buildings,  among  them  the  l<"iflh  Avenue  Hotel  —  a 
structure  92  X4i,  and  containinij;  78  rooms. 

i'he  Alderman  is  and  alvvays  has  been  a  Democrat.  Pub- 
lic emolument  seems  to  be  an  ac.piisition  he  never  coveted 
much.  In  f.n  t,  hr  h;id  been  offered  an  aldermanship  twice, 
and  refused  tlie  office.  He  stands  u]Hm  the  Committee  on 
Printing,  and  is  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Local  As- 
sessments. 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


JESSE    SPALDING. 

This  gentleman  represents  the  Fourth  Ward.  He  was 
elected  in  1873,  on  the  Republican  ticket.  This  is  about 
the  only  political  position  he  has  filled,  not  devoting  much 
attention  to  public  honors. 

Mr.  Spalding  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  and  is  about  45 
years  of  age.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Menominee  River 
Lumber  Company,  and  is  a  very  extensive  owner  of  Michi- 
gan pine  lands.     His  colleague  is  George  H.  Sidwell. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  21  3 


A.  H.  PICKERING. 


Aquila  Herford  Pickering  was  elected  to  represent  the 
Fifth  Ward  on  an  Independent  Ticket,  by  a  majority  of 
about  1,400.  Ex- Alderman  Peter  Daggy  was  one  of  his  two 
opponents.  The  xMdernian  was  born  on  a  farm  on  Short 
Creek,  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  near  Cadiz,  the  county-seat, 
in  1820.  At  the  age  of  14,  he  was  placed  at  school,  and  re- 
mained under  careful  tuition  until  arrived  at  the  age  of  21. 
In  1841,  he  went  to  Salem,  Henry  county,  Iowa,  and  in  that 
locality  pursued  a  thriving  mercantile  business,  under  the 
name  and  style  of  "  Pickering's  Emporium."  Here  he  re- 
mained until  1863.  In  this  year  he  came  to  Chicago,  and 
engaged  in  general  commission  business,  and  the  salt  trade. 
The  latter  he  abandoned  in  187 1,  and  gave  his  exclusive  at- 
tention to  grain.  In  this  trade  he  has  been,  and  is  to-day, 
one  of  the  very  heaviest  operators  in  the  market. 

In  the  Council,  Alderman  Pickering  was  the  first  to  move 
for  a  new  franchise  for  the  Gas  Company,  but  was  defeated. 
One  of  his  best  movements  was  the  introduction  of  an  ordi- 
nance for  the  prevention  of  cruelty  to  animals.  He  was 
also  the  originator  of  the  idea  of  putting  iron-pipes  into 
lofty  buildings  for  the  use  of  the  Fire  Department;  although 
the  credit  was  given  to  ex-Mayor  Medill.  His  mind  is  at 
present  filled  with  the  propriety  of  selling  the  Lake  front  at 
a  fair  valuation. 


214 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


RICHARD   B.  STONE. 


This  gentleman  represents,  in  the  Common  Council,  the 
Fifth  Ward.  He  was  elected  in  November,  1871,  on  the 
Fire-Proof  ticket,  by  a  majority  of  397.  He  was  elected 
in  1873  on  the  Citizen's  Union  ticket,  by  a  majority  of  867; 
the  whole  number  of  votes  given  to  his  opponent,  only  ap- 
proximating 938. 

The  Alderman  was  born  in  Oxford,  Worcester  county, 
Massachusetts,  in  1829.  At  the  age  of  six,  he  went  to 
Bridgewater,  in  Plymouth  county,  Massachusetts.  He  then 
went  as  an  apprentice  to  the  carpenter  trade,  and  attached 
himself  to  the  business  until  185 1.  He  subsequently  went 
to  Western  New  York,  and  bought  an  interest  in  a  sash  fac- 
tory and  lumber  business.  In  1855,  losing  his  health,  he 
went  to  a  water-cure  in  the  east.  On  April  19,  1856,  he 
came  to  Chicago.  Here  he  entered  the  lumber  business,  and 
is  still  engaged  in  it. 

During  his  first  term  in  the  Council  he  served  with  dis- 
tinction on  the  Committees  on  Bridewell,  Streets  and  Alleys, 
and  Printing.  During  his  second  term,  he  served  on  the 
Bridewell,  Streets  and  Alleys,  and  County  Relations  Com- 
mittees. He  was  a  strict  supporter  of  the  measures  advoca- 
ted by  the  "  T.aw  and  Order  "  men. 


COMMON    lOUNCll..  215 


ALDERMAN  SCHMITZ. 


This  gentleman  represents  the  Sixth  Ward,  having  been 
re-elected,  in  1872,  on  the  Republican  ticket.  In  his  elec- 
tion, on  each  occasion,  almost  the  stoutest  support  he  has 
received  has  come  from  the  Democrats.  He  is  forty-five 
years  of  age. 

He  was  born  in  the  province  of  the  Rhine,  Prussia,  and 
served  in  carpentry  up  to  1850.  At  this  time,  as  provided 
by  the  enactments  of  his  country,  he  joined  the  army.  He 
had  only  served  two  years,  when  his  services  bore  him  into 
the  Sergeantcy.  In  1855  the  Alderman  came  to  Chicago ; 
and  in  1857  commenced  business  as  a  builder,  in  which  he 
is  now  engaged.  During  his  second  term  in  the  Council, 
Alderman  Schmitz  followed  up  the  record  of  his  previous 
term,  by  looking  devotedly  after  the  matter  of  sewerage  and 
water  service.  Among  other  projects,  he  rigidly  conserved 
the  people's  interest  against  railroad  intrusion;  was  an 
ardent  abater  of  slaughter-house  nuisances  ;  and  fought  hard 
for  the  banishment  of  Healy  Slough. 


2l6  IHK    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


PHILLIP  REIDY. 


This  gentleman  represents  the  Sixth  Ward,  elected  on  the 
People's  ticket  by  a  very  large  majority;  three  other  candi- 
dates being  in  the  field.  The  confidence  Mr.  Reidy  has 
won  among  his  constituents  he  secured  only  after  a  long 
career  of  untiring  industry  in  their  midst. 

The  Alderman  was  born  in  Tralee,  county  of  Kerry,  Ire- 
land, in  1831,  and,  at  the  age  of  twenty-two,  proceeded  to 
New  York.  In  February,  1854,  he  came  to  Chicago,  and 
adopted  blacksmithing,  locating  at  the  canal  locks,  in  Bridge- 
port, in  1856.  In  this  business  he  is  still  engaged;  having 
accumulated  therein  considerable  of  a  competence. 

In  the  Council  Mr.  Reidy  favors  the  least  possible  display 
in  the  sale  of  liquors  on  Sunday.  He  serves  on  the  Com- 
mittee on  Schools,  Licenses,  and  Local  Assessments.  He  is 
also  the  President  of  St.  Vincent's  Society,  of  St.  Bridget's 
church;  and  of  the  Hibernian  Iknevolent  Society;  mani- 
festing much  interest  in  church  organization. 


COMMON    COUNCIL. 


217 


PATRICK  McCLORV 


This  gentleman  was  elected  from  the  Seventh  Ward,  on 
the  Republican  ticket,  in  1872,  by  a  large  majority.  The 
influence  of  the  Personal  Liberty  League  conspicuously 
manifested  itself  on  the  occasion. 

Alderman  McClory  was  born  in  the  county  of  Down,  Ire- 
land, in  1831.  At  the  age  of  eighteen,  the  Alderman,  exhi- 
biting an  unmistakable  inclination  to  see  everything  worth 
seeing  throughout  the  world,  by  an  expressed  wish  to  go  to 
;^ew  Zealand,  his  father  attempted  to  place  him  on  the  con- 
stabulary force.  He  was  too  young,  however.  At  the  age 
of  nineteen  his  predilection  to  travel  finally  culminated  in  a 
trip  to  Glasgow,  in  Scotland.  He  remained  here  about  two 
years,  employed  at  the  trade  of  boiler  making  in  a  large 
ship  building  establishment.  He  then  returned  to  Ireland, 
but  did  not  stay  longer  than  about  a  year,  when  he  set  out 
for  Liverpool  with  a  one-pound  note.  Here  he  obtained 
employment  in  Baring  &  Bros.'  warehouse.  Finding  mat- 
ters in  this  part  of  the  world  distasteful,  he  finally  came  to 
America,  working  his  passage  for  $12.50,  and  arriving  in  New 
York,  with  one  shilling  and  sixpence.  He  soon  procured 
a  position,  as  all  competent  workmen  do ;  firstly  in  the  Nov- 
elty Iron  Works  ;  then  with  the  great  Manhattan  Gas  Com- 
pany; and  afterward  assisted  at  the  construction  of  the 
Metropolitan  Gas  Works.  For  three  years  subsequently  he 
acted  as  foreman  of  the  gas  works  in  Troy,  New  York.  Re- 
moving to  Chicago,  the  Alderman  connected  himself  with 
the  People's  Gas  Light  and  Coke  Company,  where  he  is  at 
the  present  writing. 


2l8  IHE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


E.  F.  CULi^ERTON. 


This  gentleman  represents  the  Seventh  Ward  in  the  Coun- 
cil. He  was  born  in  Chicago,  in  1842,  and  devoted  his 
early  life  to  a  rigid  public  school  education.  At  the  age  of 
19  he  struck  out  for  himself,  and  built,  in  a  very  short  time, 
a  rushing  boarding-house  and  livery-stable  business. 

In  187 1,  he  was  elected  by  a  very  large  majority  to  repre- 
sent the  Seventh  Ward.  In  1872  he  was  elected  to  the  Leg- 
islature. Here  he  distinguished  himself  in  opposition  to  the 
West  Side  Park  Commissioners'  taxation  scheme.  In  the 
Council  he  occupies  a  high  position  on  gas  and  police 
matters.     He  was  re-elected  on  the  People's  ticket. 

The  record  of  Alderman  Cullerton  in  the  Common  Council 
is  a  very  satisfactory  one  to  his  constituents.  No  vital  ques- 
tion, as  well  in  a  general  sense,  escapes  his  closest  attention. 

The  alderman  rarely  speaks.  When  he  does,  his  speech  is 
the  result  of  the  most  thorough  conviction. 


COMMON    COUKCIl..  2  K) 


M.  B.  BAILEY. 


This  gentleman  represents  the  Eighth  Ward.  He  was 
elected  in  1870  on  the  Republican  ticket,  though  an  old 
Democrat,  and  in  1872  on  the  People's  ticket.  His  first 
term  in  the  Council  was  noted  by  his  herculean  efforts  to 
promote  the  sewerage  facilities  of  his  ward,  securing  the 
same  when  no  appropriation  had  been  made.  A  prominent 
feature  of  his  second  term  was  his  minority  report  on  the 
Tilly  plan  for  a  new  Court  House.  He  also  distinguished 
himself  by  his  efforts  for  the  Canal  and  Twelfth  street  via- 
ducts. The  Alderman  was  born  in  Limerick  —  near  the 
boundaries — Ireland,  in  1837,  the  year  in  which  Chicago 
was  incorporated.  About  the  age  of  16  he  came  to  Chicago 
and  acquired  the  mason  and  plastering  art.  In  1855  he 
went  into  business  for  himself,  taking  every  contract  he 
could  get.  In  the  latter  part  of  1856,  setting  forth  from 
Lawrence,  Kansas,  he  went  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and 
after  six  months  came  back  to  St.  Joseph,  Missouri,  where 
he  built  several  large  structures. 

He  then  came  to  Chicago,  where  many  a  foot  of  land  bears 
the  weight  of  his  work.  Among  many  other  structures,  he 
has  built  the  new  County  Jail,  the  Second  National  Bank, 
the  Empire  Block,  the  Washington  School,  Father  Waldron's 
School,  Schoellkopf 's,  on  Randolph  street,  and  Cohn  Broth- 
er's Building.     The  Alderman's  ambition  is  building. 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


JAMES    H.  HILDRETH. 

This  is  the  second  term  of  Alderman  James  Henry  Hil- 
dreth,  in  the  Common  Council,  having  been  elected  first  in 
1869  to  represent  the  Seventh  Ward,  and  in  1873,  on  the 
People's  ticket,  to  represent  the  Eighth.  The  districts  are 
almost  identical,  the  numbers  of  the  Wards  being  changed 
by  the  Legislature. 

Mr.  Hildreth  was  born  in  Chester  county,  Massachusetts, 
July  8,  1840,  and  is  of  American  descent.  At  about  the  age 
of  19,  having  spent  a  short  time  farming  in  Will  county,  he 
came  to  Chicago,  procuring,  upon  his  arrival,  a  conductor- 
ship  from  the  North  Side  City  Railway  Company.  This 
position  he  subsequently  abandoned  for  an  appointment  as 
Grain  Inspector  under  the  Board  of  Trade.  In  1862,  upon 
the  organization  of  the  Board  of  Trade  Battery,  our  subject 
enlisted  and  proceeded  to  the  front.  In  all  of  the  principal 
battles  fought  by  this  deservedly  famous  organization,  Mr. 
Hildreth  took  a  prominent  part;  remembering  the  stirring 
incidents  of  no  less  than  34  battles,  and  the  capture  of  the 
head  and  front  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  Jefferson 
Davis.  The  army  life  of  the  Alderman  is  replete  in  a 
continuous  series  of  thrilling  adventures  which  well  illus- 
trate the  daring  spirit  of  the  man.  On  one  occasion,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Covington,  Georgia,  a  few  horses  of  the  division 
giving  very  good  promise  of  dropping  under  their  riders, 
Hildreth  was  dispatched,  as  he  always  was  on  such  occa- 
sions, to  look  about   for  substitutes.     He  had  not  gone  far 


COMMON    COUNCIL  22  1 

before  he  met  with  the  most  brilliant  success.  It  was  so 
encouraging,  in  fact,  as  to  keep  him  so  long  absent  that  his 
companions  gave  him  up  for  dead.  While  ruminating  over 
his  untimely  demise,  the  boys  were  suddenly  aroused  by  the 
appearance  of  a  batch  of  horses  and  mules,  numbering  in 
all  27,  and  commanded  by  negroes.  Four  horsemen  bring- 
ing up  the  rear  comprised  Corporal  Hildreth,  a  Rebel 
lieutenant -colonel,  and  two  privates.  The  animals  were 
bagged  while  hotly  pursued  into  apparent  safety,  by  the 
negroes;  the  officer  was  surprised  from  the  shadow  of  a 
tree;  and  the  two  privates  were  captured  when  half  way 
through  a  fence,  having  just  bidden  an  affectionate  fare- 
well to  their  sweethearts.  In  recognition  of  his  extraor- 
dinary service  on  this  occasion,  he  was  presented  with  a 
magnificent  testimonial.  On  his  return  from  the  war,  Mr. 
Hildreth  received  his  old  position  on  the  Board  of  Trade. 

The  trying  scenes  of  the  Great  Fire  counted  no  bolder 
hero  than  Hildreth.  As  very  often  happens,  however,  the 
glory  of  his  achievements  was  appropriated  to  the  credit  of 
somebody  else.  When  the  water  supply  had  ceased,  bring- 
ing panic  into  the  hearts  of  the  bravest,  Hildreth,  with  the 
suddenness  of  thought,  hurried  to  the  powder  magazines  on 
South  Water  street,  near  State,  and,  bursting  the  doors  open, 
gathered  up  all  of  the  kegs  of  powder  and  fuse  he  could 
find,  and,  through  showers  of  sparks  and  clouds  of  suffocat- 
ing smoke,  proceeded  to  the  work  of  blowing-up.  The  first 
building  that  trembled  was  the  Union  National  Bank ;  then 
Smith  &  Nixon's.  In  his  experience  in  these  structures, 
Mr.  Hildreth  learned  that  he  did  not  succeed  as  well  as  he 
might.  The  subsequent  efforts  of  the  Alderman  proved 
more  successful,  the  following  buildings  tumbling  above 
the  powder  with  tremendous  beauty :  at  the  northwest  and 
southwest  corners  of  Washington  street  and  Wabash  avenue; 
at  the    corner  of  State    and   Harrison,  where  the  fire  was 


222  THR    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

checked;  and  about  six  buildings  on  the  north  side  of  Con- 
gress street,  near  Wabash  avenue.  Yet,  tlie  wires  flashed  in 
all  directions  the  news  of  the  perilous  ])owder  performance 
entirely  credited  to  Gen.  Phil.  Sheridan.  This  mistake, 
however,  might  arise  from  the  fact  that  Police  Commisioner 
Sheridan  took  a  prominent  i)art  in  the  ])roceeding,  and  that 
Gen.  Sheridan  was  present  in  the  burning  city. 


(.DMMON    COINCIL. 


JAMES  o'brip:n. 


This  gentleman  was  elected  by  a  very  large  majority  to 
represent  the  Ninth  Ward  in  the  Common  Council.  Votes 
to  the  number  of  1,025  ••''  ^'^^^  ward  is  something  to  be 
Ijroud  of. 

The  Alderman  was  born  in  the  county  of  Wex- 
ford, Ireland,  July  25,  1842.  His  early  life  was  not  replete 
in  anything  very  extraordinary.  Before  his  advent  in 
Chicago,  in  fact,  nothing  occurred,  it  may  be  said,  to  mar  the 
harmony  of  a  very  ordinary  life.  Railroad  enterprise  had 
fascinations  for  him,  and  commencing  at  car  coupling,  he, 
in  a  brief  time,  was  appointed  assistant  yard-master  in  the 
em])loy  of  the  Michigan  Southern.  Relinquishing  this  busi- 
ness after  a  time,  he  entered  the  retail  liciuor  business,  in 
which  he  is  now  engaged. 

In  the  Council  Alderman  O'Brien's  position  is  a  peculiar, 
but  doughty  one.  He  has  convictions,  and  insists  always  upon 
vindicating  them.  It  is  true,  he  generally  stands  in  the 
minority;  but  his  status  is,  to  say  the  least,  very  manly.  He 
stood  against  the  confirmation  of  Commissioners  Wright  and 
Mason,  as  a  matter  of  law  ;  and  in  the  slate  made  by  Mayor 
Colvin,  was  the  first  .Mderman  to  exercise  the  spirit  of  his 
independence. 


224  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


THOMAS  F.  BAILEY. 


Thomas  Francis  Bailey  was  elected  from  the  Ninth  Ward 
in  1873,  on  the  People's  ticket,  by  a  majority  of  about  470. 
One  of  his  opponents  was  Ex-Alderman  Powell,  whose 
strength  in  the  ward  was  very  great. 

Alderman  Bailey  was  born  in  Lough  Gur,  Limerick, 
in  1842.  He  is,  therefore,  32  years  of  age.  He  remained 
in  his  native  place  perhaps  until  arrived  at  the  age  of  11. 
He  then  went  to  Bradford  county,  Pennsylvania,  and  worked 
on  a  farm.  In  1856,  having  reconsidered  an  intention  to 
settle  in  Michrgan,  he  came  to  Chicago,  and  entered  general 
merchandise,  serving  in  Shufeldt's  distillery  as  general  fore- 
man up  to  Jan.  I,  1874. 

The  election  of  Alderman  Bailey  from  so  peculiar  a  ward  as 
the  Ninth,  it  is  said,  even  surprised  himself  only  less  than  it 
did  Ex-Alderman  Powell. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  225 


DAVID  W.  CLARK,  Jr. 


This  gentleman  is  Alderman  of  the  Tenth  Ward,  having 
defeated  C.  C.  P.  Holden,  Esq.,  in  1872,  on  the  straight  Re- 
publican ticket.  He  had  not  the  remotest  idea  of  achieving 
the  victory,  as  it  was  generally  supposed  Mr.  Holden  could 
not  be  beaten  in  a  ward   he  had  represented  so  long. 

Mr.  Clark  was  born  in  Boston,  Massachusetts,  May  6,  1840. 
In  1853,  he  left  there  and  proceeded  to  New  York,  where  he 
stayed  one  year.  He  then  came  to  Chicago  and  entered  the 
job  printing  business,  in  which  he  is  now  engaged.  He  was 
Supervisor  in  187 1,  representing  the  Tenth  Ward,  and  through 
his  exertions  principally,  it  is  claimed,  the  abstract  matter 
was  referred  to  the  incoming  Board,  whereby  the  county,  it 
is  estimated,  was  saved  $1,250,000. 

In  the  earlier  life  of  our  subject  he  figured  well  in  the 
Volunteer  Fire  Department,  receiving  a  medal  in  1859,  on 
Company  2  of  the  Fire  Brigade,  for  not  missing  an  alarm  or 
fire  during  the  year.  In  the  same  year  he  was  elected  First 
Lieutenant  of  the  Company.  He  also  served  in  Barker's 
Dragoons  during  the  war.  This  company  formed  Gen.  Mc- 
Clellan's  body  guard  through  West  Virginia.  Mr.  Clark  was 
Secretary  of  W.  B.  Warren  Lodge  of  the  Masonic  order,  and 
in  1868  received  a  magnificent  gold  watch  and  chain  for  mer- 
itorious services. 

15 


226  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION 


C.  L.  WOODMAN. 


Charles  Leonard  Woodman  represents  the  Tenth  Ward  in 
the  Common  Council,  elected  in  1873  on  the  "  Law  and 
Order  "  ticket,  by  about  700  majority.  This  is  the  Alder- 
man's fourth  term  in  the  Common  Council.  He  represented, 
under  the  administration  of  Mayor  Sherman,  the  Eighth 
Ward;  represented  the  Sixteenth  Ward  on  Sherman's  sec- 
ond term,  and  was  elected  from  the  Twentieth  Ward  after 
the  Great  Fire.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  interesting  to 
state  that,  when  chosen  to  represent  the  Twentieth  Ward, 
there  was  scarcely  a  house  there  to  relieve  the  monotony  of 
a  prairie  waste.  The  old  residents  were  compelled  to  travel 
from  their  scattered  habitations  throughout  the  city  to  be 
represented  in  a  ward  they  did  not  live  in.  The  contests  in 
the  Council  Alderman  Woodman  remembers  with  pleasure, 
concern  the  improvement  of  the  mouth  of  the  river,  the 
construction  of  the  great  Lake  Tunnel,  and  the  deepening 
of  the  Chicago  River.  All  of  these  he  successfully  favored 
against  active  opposition.  He  was  also  most  conspicuous 
on  the  Railroad  Committee. 

Mr.  Woodman  was  born  in  Barrington,  Stafford  County, 
N.  H.,  July  7,  1829.  At  the  age  of  thirteen,  he  removed  to 
Great  Falls,  and,  excepting  six  months  at  school,  devoted 
himself  to  the  bakery  business,  in  company  with  his  brother. 
In  those  days  no  machinery  being  at  hand,  it  occupied  the 
time  of  four  men  and  a  boy  to  turn  one  barrel  of  flour  into 
crackers.     Now,  one  man  can  work  five  barrels  per  day. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  227 

At  the  age  of  twenty,  Mr.  Woodman  built  an  oven  in  Great 
Falls,  and  went  into  business  for  himself.  After  the  lapse 
of  five  years,  he  came  to  Chicago.  Immediately  upon  ar- 
rival, he  secured  a  position  at  fifteen  dollars  per  week,  com- 
petent workmen  receiving  at  the  time  from  six  to  eight 
dollars.  His  position  was  the  superintendency  of  a  bakery 
at  the  corner  of  Dearborn  and  Illinois  streets.  He  soon 
bought  this  establishment  out,  and  did  well  enough  to  start 
a  more  extensive  business  on  the  South  Side.  Forming  a 
copartnership  with  Joseph  M.  Dake, —  now  dead, —  he  es- 
tablished himself  on  Dearborn  street,  near  the  Post-office, 
where  his  shingle  was  visible  at  the  time  of  the  Fire.  It 
was  here  he  conceived  the  "  aerated  bread  "  idea,  which  was 
so  popular  for  a  time.  About  five  years  ago,  in  company 
with  Edward  Olcott,  he  built  a  bakery  on  Kinzie  street.  Both 
of  his  establishments,  as  well  as  his  residence,  were  burned  in 
the  great  Fire,  entailing  a  loss  of  abput  $75,000.  The  loss 
did  not  aff'ect  the  spirit  of  the  Alderman  much,  however. 
Within  thirty  days  after  the  fire,  he  was  baking  one  hundred 
barrels  a  day  in  his  temporary  structure,  on  the  corner  of 
Adams  and  Canal  streets.  The  extent  of  his  business  since 
can  be  judged  from  the  following,  taken  from  his  ledger : 
For  1873,  upwards  of  30,000  barrels  of  flour  made  into 
bread  and  crackers  — production,  1,500,000  loaves  of  bread, 
and  75,000  barrels  of  crackers.  Sales,  over  $125,000  more 
than  previous  year. 


228  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


PATRICK  KEHOE. 


Patrick  Kehoe  was  elected  to  represent  the  Eleventh 
Ward,  in  1872,  on  the  People's  ticket,  by  a  most  favorable 
majority. 

Mr.  Kehoe  was  born  in  Carlow  County,  in  the  town  of 
Clonegall,  Ireland,  in  1834.  In  1854,  he  came  to  Chicago, 
and  established  a  flourishing  grocery  business  in  the  vicinity 
of  his  present  locality,  corner  of  Carroll  and  Halsted  streets. 
It  was  in  an  era  in  Chicago's  history  when  a  little  foresight 
would  work  tremendous  marvels  for  a  man.  That  commod- 
ity forming  one  of  our  subject's  capabilities,  he  succeeded 
in  building  himself  up  remarkably  fast. 

Mr.  Kehoe  has  not  figured  very  prominently  in  politics, 
devoting  most  scrupulous  attention  to  trade. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  229 


GEORGE  E.  WHITE. 


This  gentleman  represents  the  Eleventh  Ward.  He  was 
elected  in  1873,  on  the  People's  ticket,  and  is  the  youngest 
man  in  the  Council,  and  one  of  the  shrewdest.  He  was  born 
in  Millbury,  Massachusetts,  in  1848,  and  left  there  at  the  age 
of  13,  to  graduate  in  North  Wilberham  College,  About  15 
he  entered  the  army. 

In  the  battles  for  the  Union,  Alderman  White  took  a  promi- 
nent part,  figuring  in  no  less  than  17  battles.  Among  other 
reminiscences,  he  was  present  at  Lee's  surrender.  He  fought 
under  Meade,  Burnside,  and  Wilcox,  and  was  three  times 
wounded.  At  the  beginning  of  the  war,  he  went  out  under 
Col.  Bartlett,  now  Brevet  Major  General,  a  bosom  friend, 
and  a  magnificent  officer. 

At  the  end  of  the  war.  Alderman  White  settled  in  Chicago, 
working  for  Messrs.  White  &  EUson  at  a  salary  of  $50  per 
month.  He  then  went  into  business  for  himself,  when  the 
firm  name  was  Burchard,  White  &  Co.  Burchard  was  now 
bought  out,  and  the  firm  name  was  White  &  Haffner.  Mr. 
White  now  bought  out  Haffner,  and  ran  the  lumber  business 
himself;  in  which  he  is  now  engaged. 

The  extent  of  the  Alderman's  business  may  be  learned 
from  the  fact  that  his  pay-roll  per  week  amounts  to  $2,000. 
His  acquaintances  say  he  is  worth  $75)0°°- 


230  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


AMOS  F.  MINER. 


Amos  F.  Miner  was  elected  to  represent  the  Twelfth  Ward 
in  the  Common  Council,  in  1872,  on  the  Republican  ticket, 
by  a  majority  of  about  386  ;  two  other  candidates  being  in 
the  field. 

The  Alderman  was  born  in  Grafton  county,  New  Hamp- 
shire, in  1826.  At  the  age  of  eight  he  left  his  native  place 
and  went  to  Rensselaer  county,  New  York,  where  he  went  to 
work  on  a  farm ;  devoting  his  leisure  hours  to  the  acquisi- 
tion of  an  education.  He  then  became  a  school  teacher. 
But  the  birch  and  rule  did  not  develop  sufficient  muscle  to 
wield,  very  healthily,  the  hammer  of  life.  Accordingly  the 
Alderman  learned  the  carpenter's  and  joiner's  trade.  Hav- 
ing acquired  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  business,  he  pro- 
ceeded to  Westchester  county,  where  he  remained  three  or 
four  years.  He  then  removed  to  Desplaines,  Cook  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  about  ten  years.  In  both  of 
these  places  he  was-  quite  busily  engaged  in  building  enter- 
prises.    He  has  been  since,  and  is  now,  engaged  in  building. 

Ten  years  ago  Mr.  Miner  was  admitted  to  the  Bar,  but 
did  not  enter  practice.  He  has  interested  himself  in  public 
affairs  for  some  time ;  yet  he  does  not  care  to  figure  much 
politically,  it  seems.  Among  other  positions  of  public  trust 
he  served  as  Assistant  Examiner  of  Schools  in  the  North- 
west, under  Greenleaf,  and  as  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  five 
years.     He  came  to  Chicago  in  1866. 


COMMON    COUNCIL. 


231 


MONROE  HEATH. 


Monroe  Heath,  Alderman  of  the  Twelfth  Ward,  was  re- 
elected in  the  fall  of  1873,  on  the  "  Law  and  Order  "  ticket, 
by  about  986  majority.  Only  seventeen  votes  stood  against 
him  on  his  first  election  on  the  Fire-Proof  ticket. 

Mr.  Heath  was  born  in  Springfield,  Sullivan  county.  New 
Hampshire,  in  1828.  His  ancestors,  on  the  maternal  side, 
it  is  pretty  clearly  established,  came  over  in  the  Mayflower; 
and  the  very  fair  presumption  is  that  his  progenitors  were  of 
English  descent. 

His  mother  dying  when  our  subject  was  but  four  years 
old,  and  his  father  when  he  was  but  eight,  circumstances 
required  the  placing  of  the  boy  in  the  custody  of  his 
grandmother.  The  old  lady  took  care  of  him  up  to 
the  age  of  about  seventeen.  He  now  went  to  Boston, 
and  acquired  a  knowledge  of  general  merchandise.  Hence- 
forward, up  to  his  arrival  in  Chicago,  his  mercantile  career 
was  relieved  by  considerable  traveling;  experience  in  the 
Mexican  war,  and  atrip  to  Pike's  Peak, contributing  enliven- 
ing reminiscences. 

In  the  early  part  of  1851  Mr.  Heath  came  to  Chicago, 
when  he  immediately  engaged  in  the  painting  business.  The 
first  locality  he  selected  was  upon  the  North  Side,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Wells  street  bridge.  During  the  first  year  he 
employed  but  four  or  five  men.  In  the  second  year  the 
force  was  increased  to  about  forty.  He  then  removed  to  the 
South  Side,  and,  in  company  with  Mr.  Henry  Milligan,  with 


232  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

whom  he  associated  in  1855,  has  since  succeeded  in  building 
up  the  magnificent  proportions  of  business  they  now  enjoy, 
on  East  Randolph  ^treet,  near  LaSalle.  To  go  into  detail 
regarding  the  immense  progress  made  by  the  firm,  of  Heath 
&  Milligan  since  its  organization,  would  be  superfluous. 
The  entire  business  community  built  up  in  Chicago  recog- 
nize Messrs.  Heath  &  Milligan  as  standing' at  the  very  head 
and  front  of  the  most  successful  in  their  particular  line  of 
business. 

Their  success  they  have  achieved,  too,  under  quite  dis- 
couraging circumstances.  The  firm  was  burned  out  twice, 
and  lost  heavily.  They  rebuilt  immediately  after  the  first 
occasion,  and  after  the  second.  The  latter  occasion  hap- 
pened to  be  that  of  the  great  fire,  an  event  distinctly  remem- 
bered, it  is  presumed.  The  present  establishment  they 
entered  about  ninety  days  after  the  great  disaster. 


COMMON    COUNCIL. 


'■3S 


AVERY    MOORE. 


This  gentleman  represents  the  Thirteenth  Ward  in  the 
Common  Council,  elected  on  the  Republican  ticket,  in  1872. 
He  was  elected  first  in  1865,  from  the  old  Seventh  Ward, 
being,  it  is  said,  the  first  Republican  ever  elected  in  that 
district. 

Mr.  Moore  was  born  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio,  in  1830. 
Here  he  remained  up  to  the  age  of  25,  devoting  his  days  to 
school  and  a  mercantile  career.  He  now  removed  to  War- 
saw, Hancock  county,  Illinois,  where  he  taught  school  and 
pursued  real  estate  principally.  In  1863  —  after  having 
constructed  a  commendable  war  record  —  Mr.  Moore  came 
to  Chicago.  In  1864,  he  entered  the  employ  of  the  Chica- 
go, Burlington,  &  Quincy  Railroad.  He  subsequently  left 
this  institution  and  established  himself  in  the  storage  busi- 
ness, corner  of  Rush  and  Kinzie  streets. 

Mr.  Moore's  first  political  experience  was  in  Ohio,  where 
he  represented  Belmont  county  in  convention.  Among 
other  positions  of  trust,  Mr.  Moore  has  served  honorably  in 
the  Board  of  Education. 


234  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


J.  L.  CAMPBELL. 


Alderman  Campbell  was  first  elected  in  1869,  from  the 
Thirteenth  Ward,  on  the  straight  Republican  ticket,  by  a 
majority  of  262. 

He  was  born  in  Livingston  county,  New  York,  and  came 
to  Illinois  at  the  age  of  19,  settling  in  Elgin.  After  a  stay 
of  six  years  in  the  milk  (and  water)  region,  Alderman  Camp- 
bell went  to  Northern  Iowa,  and  studied  in  the  Iowa  Uni- 
versity, in  Lafayette.  Since  that  time  his  progress  in  his 
(legal)  profession  has  been  very  rapid.  The  political  promi- 
nence of  Alderman  Campbell  was  first  made  manifest  in 
Idaho,  when  the  question  was  first  agitated  of  organizing  a 
territory  east  of  the  mountains.  He  went  to  Washington  at 
this  time,  and  stayed  thereuntil  the  territory  known  as  Mon- 
tana had  been  an  accomplished  fact.  He  is  responsible 
for  the  events  that  conspired  to  effect  it.  The  fact  was  duly 
appreciated  by  the  denizens  of  that  locality.  Alderman 
Campbell  having  been  invited  to  represent  the  people  of  that 
region  in  Congress  immediately.  Having  accepted  the  mer- 
ited honor,  he  was  on  his  way  thither,  when  a  horde  of  Indi- 
ans between  Fort  Kearney  and  Denver  intercepted  his 
approach.  The  event  checked  the  political  aspirations  of 
the  Alderman,  but  not  much.  Subsequent  history  stands  as 
evidence  of  the  fact. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  235 


BARTHOLOMEW  QUIRK. 


The  Alderman,  representing  the  Fourteenth  Ward,  was 
elected  on  the  Republican  ticket,  in  1872.  He  was  born  in 
Castle  Gregory,  County  of  Kerry,  Ireland,  in  1834.  In  1841 
he  went  to  Albany,  New  York ;  thence  to  Buffalo  ;  and,  in 
1844,  came  to  Chicago. 

He  spent  about  four  years  in  school,  firstly  in  the  old  Plant- 
er's House,  and  afterwards  at  the  Old  Dearborn.  He  now 
went  to  printing.  His  employer  failing  to  pay,  the  Alderman 
failed  to  make  pi,  etc.,  and  went  to  carpentry.  He  remained 
in  the  business  to  become  a  successful  builder  of  residences. 
The  Alderman  was  for  three  years  and  three  months  in  the 
army,  serving  in  the  Twenty-Third  Illinois.  In  the  princi- 
ple battles  shared  by  that  regiment,  Mr.  Quirk  participated. 
He  accompanied  Mulligan,  Sheridan  and  Cook  through  all 
of  the  engagements,  mostly  in  Western  Virginia;  witnessed 
"Sheridan's  ride,"  and  was  within  fifty  feet  of  Colonel  Mul- 
ligan when  killed. 


236  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


SILAS  E.  CLEVELAND. 

This  gentleman  represents  the  Fourteenth  Ward,  and  has 
been  elected  twice  :    in  187 1,  on  the  Fire-Proof  ticket;  and 
in  1873,  on  the  "  Law  and  Order"  ticket.     He  was  born  in 
Clinton  county,  New  York,  in    1839.     In   1849  the  family- 
removed  to  Chicago,  and  placed  the  Alderman  at  school ; 
first  at  .Hathaway 's  old   school,  then  at  Washington  school, 
and  also  at  Mount  Morris  College,  Ogle  county,  Illinois.    He 
then   went  to   work   in  the   carpenter  shop    of   his    father, 
spending  a  short   time  with  Olmstead  &   Nickerson,  archi- 
tects.    He  was  soon  placed  in  the  carpenter  shop,  in  charge 
of  the  planing   department.     In   1861   he  accompanied  his 
father,  a  captain  in  the  Eighth  Illinois  cavalry,  to  the  front; 
and  witnessed,  among  other  battles,  the   fight   in  front   of 
Richmond,  and  the  battles  of  Bull  Run,  Malvern  Hill,  and 
Williamsburg.     In  1862  he  filled  several  building  contracts 
with  the   Pittsburg  &   Ft.  Wayne  Road.     He   also   served 
three  years   as   a  mail   agent  on   the  Northwestern    Road. 
Since  then  he  has  been    engaged    in    prosperous  business 
enterprises. 

In  the  Council  the  Alderman  favors  strongly  the  princi- 
ple of  the  "  Law  and  Order  "  party,  and  advocated  fervently 
the  closing  of  the  saloons  on  Sunday. 


COMMON    COUNCIL. 


-'37 


NICHOLAS    ECKHARDT. 


Mr.  Eckhardt  is  Alderman  of  the  Fifteenth  Ward,  and 
was  elected  in  1872  on  an  Independent  ticket,  by  a  majority 
of  156,  two  otlier  candidates  being  in  the  field. 

He  was  born  in  1832  in  Germany,  and  left  his  native 
country  at  the  age  of  17.  He  then  came  almost  directly  to 
Chicago.  Here  he  learned  the  carpentry  trade,  and  re- 
lieved the  monotony  of  his  avocation  by  running,  like  so 
many  citizens,  in  the  Fire  Department.  He  was  on  the 
regular  Fire  Department  for  eight  years,  serving  as  pipe- 
man  on  the  "Queen,"  and  subsequently  on  the  "Brown." 
He  is  at  present  engaged  in  the  liquor  trade. 


238  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


J.  J.  McGRATH. 


Alderman  McGrath  represents  the  Fifteenth  Ward  in  the 
Common  Council. 

Born  in  Ireland,  he  came,  when  quite  young,  to  America, 
and  settled  with  an  uncle  in  New  York  City,  where  he  re- 
ceived a  liberal  education.  He  then  learned  cooperage, 
transacting  the  same  for  several  years,  and  finally  became 
interested  in  the  Chicago  Distilling  Company.  He  was 
shortly  appointed  superintendent  over  some  eighty  men, 
then  employed  in  the  business  of  cooperage.  He  subse- 
quently purchased  the  institution,  and  now  employs  about 
fifty  operatives. 

He  visited  Canada,  and  the  Southern  States,  returned  to 
his  native  land  in  1S67,  glanced  at  the  principal  cities  of 
the  Old  World,  and  dropped  in  to  view  the  marvels  of  in- 
dustry in  the  Paris  E.xposition.  It  was  on  this  trip  Alder- 
man McGrath  acquired  the  extensive  knowledge  he  has  so 
often  displayed  in  sewerage,  water  supplies,  and  kindred 
subjects  of  municipal  importance.  When  the  sewer  bill  of 
Corporation  Counsel  Tuley  was  pending  before  the  body, 
the  report  submitted  on  the  question  by  Alderman  McGrath, 
Chairman  of  the  Sewer  Committee,  will  be  recalled  as  a 
document  of  a  most  exhaustive  nature. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  239 


PETER  MAHR. 


Alderman  Peter  Mahr  was  elected  to  represent  the  Six- 
teenth Ward,  on  the  Republican  ticket,  in  1872.  He  was 
born  in  Nassau,  Germany,  June  11,  1835,  and  lived  under 
the  paternal  roof  up  to  the  age  of  15.  While  the  old  people 
were  doing  very  well  in  Fatherland,  they  thought,  neverthe- 
less, that  their  heir  might  grow  more  useful  to  himself  in 
America.  With  this  intention,  the  family  removed  to  this 
country  and  settled  down  to  agricultural  pursuits  in  Wis- 
consin. Their  stay  was  but  short.  The  golden  grain  was 
very  pretty,  indeed,  in  the  eyes  of  Peter,  but  the  suggestions 
it  afforded  were  more  practical  than  poetic.  The  result  of 
his  education  was  that  he  became  a  brewer.  He  pursued 
this  avocation  in  Wisconsin  until  he  thought  it  would  pay 
better  in  Illinois. 

He  accordingly  came  to  Chicago,  and  gave  his 
services  to  Lill  &  Diversy  for  many  years.  He  then 
went  into  business  for  himself.  He  was  elected  a  Ward 
Supervisor  for  two  years,  and  a  Town  Supervisor  for  about 
the  same  period. 


240  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


THOMAS  W.  STOUT. 


Alderman  Thomas  W.  Stout  was  elected  to  represent  the 
Sixteenth  Ward  in  1871  on  the  Star  Chamber,  and  in  1873 
on  the  People's  ticket.  He  was  born  in  Pennsylvania,  Sept. 
15,  1836.  The  early  education  of  the  Alderman  assisted  his 
fondness  for  a  mercantile  life  materially.  In  several  fields 
of  industry  his  work  has  made  a  very  perceptible  impress  ; 
securing,  as  he  did,  a  position  in  the  employ  of  the  North- 
western Railway  Company,  that  gave  him  ample  opportuni- 
ties. He  held  a  position  on  this  road  for  no  less  than  22 
years. 

In  the  Council  he  was  a  strenuous  advocate  of  clos- 
ing saloons  on  Sundays  up  to  i  p.  m.  ;  conspicuously 
figuring  on  the  Committee  of  Nine.  He  was  a  strong  oppo- 
ser  of  gas  monopoly;  having  advocated  a  measure  which  he 
claims  would  save  the  city  the  sum  of  $200,000  annually. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  24I 


LOUIS    SCHAFFNER. 


Alderman  Schaffner,  better  known  as  Col.  Schaffner,  rep- 
resents the  Seventeentli  Ward. 

He  was  born  in  Alsace,  France,  and  is  now  46  years  of 
age.  At  the  age  of  nine,  Col.  Schaffner  removed  to  the 
city  of  New  York,  and  engaged  in  the  dry  goods  business, 
where  he  remained  until  the  outbreak  of  the  Rebellion,  when 
he  organized,  Jan.  8,  1861,  Company  A,  of  the  Seventh  New 
York  Volunteers  (Steuben).  Elected  Captain,  the  Colonel 
assumed,  very  modestly,  however,  the  rank  of  Adjutant,  con- 
fiding in  future  merit  for  a  soldier's  promotion,  and  winning 
it  bravely.  Col.  Schaffner  participated  in  the  fight  at  Big 
Bethel,  at  Ball's  Bluff,  and  Port  Hudson,  and  many  other 
engagements,  and  suffered,  during  his  service  through  the 
entire  war,  two  severe  sunstrokes,  and  but  a  slight  wound  in 
the  knee,  which  he  received  when  Lieutenant  Grebel  was 
killed  beside  him.  Promoted  to  the  Lieutenant  Colonelcy  in 
a  short  time  after  the  commencement  of  the  struggle,  he 
subsequently  declined  two  offers  of  a  brevet  Brigadier-Gen- 
eralship. He  had  also  charge  of  the  prisoners  at  Rock 
Island  and  Camp  Douglas.  In  the  dawn  of  peace  he  en- 
tered the  grocery  business,  and  left  it  for  the  office  of  Assist- 
ant Assessor  of  Internal  Revenue. 

In  1868,  Col.  Schaff'ner,  always  a  staunch  Republican, 
handled  the  North  Side  Tanners  so  well  that  every  ward  in 
the  Division  went  Republican  at  the  Presidential  election. 
In  1869,  he  was  defeated,  but  in  1870,  he  was  elected  to  a 
seat  in  the  Council  by  a  handsome  majority. 
16 


242  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


JACOB  LENGACHER. 


This  gentleman  was  elected  to  represent  the  Seventeenth 
Ward  in  the  Common  Council.  First  time  in  187 1,  on  the 
Union  People's  ticket;  the  second  time  in  1873,  on  the  Peo- 
ple's ticket. 

He  was  born  in  Berne,  Switzerland,  in  1833.  One  year 
and  a  half  at  school  in  Berne,  and  up  to  1858,  in  the  city  of 
Deintigen,  completed  his  educational  course.  He  now  came 
to  Laporte,  Indiana.  He  here  entered  into  a  contract  for 
clearing  land  five  miles  or  so  distant  from  the  city  of  .Laporte. 
He  subsequently  entered  the  brewing  business.  In  August, 
1 86 1,  with  some  fourteen  friends,  the  Alderman  proceeded 
to  Indianapolis,  and  offered  his  services  to  Gen.  Willich, 
commander  of  the32d  Indiana.  Promotion  soon  succeeded. 
Corporalship,  sergeantcy,  lieutenantships,  and  captaincy  fol- 
lowed. After  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  he  was  compelled  to 
take  an  orderly  sergeantship.  When  the  Captain  of  Com- 
pany D  was  killed,  the  Alderman,  who  belonged  to  Company 
I,  was  appointed  to  his  position. 

Coming  to  Chicago,  he  entered  the  Collector's  office. 
Business  growing  dull,  however,  he  went,  at  suggestion,  into 
the  insurance  business,  in  which  he  is  now  engaged.  He 
represents  eight  different  companies. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  243 


THOMAS  CANNON. 

This  gentleman  represents  the  Ef^hteenth  Ward  in  the 
Common  Council.  He  was  born  in  the  townland  of  Cloon- 
coe,  County  Leitrim,  Ireland,  May  15,  182S,  and  came  to 
this  country  in  1851,  coming  directly  to  Chicago.  Up-hill 
work  encountered  the  Alderman  at  once.  He  succeeded  in 
obtaining  employment,  however,  very  soon,  as  a  laborer, 
from  Avhich  he  rose  to  a  position  as  forwarding  freight  agent 
for  the  old  Galena  Railroad.  After  six  years  of  dilligent 
service  here,  Mr.  Cannon  was  removed  to  make  place  for  the 
pet  of  certain  politicians.  The  Alderman  had  accumulated 
considerable  money  in  the  meantime,  and  this  he  invested 
in  real  estate.  He  had  hardly  done  so,  however,  when  the 
financial  crash  of  '58  and  '59  swept  it  away.  Then  followed 
a  checkered  career.  Firstly  he  speculated  on  the  Board  of 
Trade;  had  bad  luck,  after  seven  years,  and  went  to  team- 
ing; was  then  engaged  as  a  Sidewalk  Inspector,  under  the 
Board  of  Public  Works  ;  then  as  an  United  States  Mail 
Agent.  He  now  procured  a  position  in  the  Custom  House, 
whence  he  was  discharged,  with  twenty  others,  for  want  of 
employment.  But  the  Alderman  had  made  friends.  Gov- 
ernor Beveridge  was  one  of  them.  At  the  demise  of  Owen 
Dougherty,  Mr.  Cannon  was  appointed  by  his  Excellency  to 
fill  the  vacancy  as  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  which  position  he 
now  holds.  His  successful  race  for  Alderman  was  his  third  : 
in  the  first  heat  being  beaten  by  five  hundred  and  seventy- 
four  majority ;  in  the  second,  by  twenty-seven ;  and  being 
successful  in  the  last  by  a  majority  of  five  hundred  and 
sixty-four.  The  Alderman  prides  himself  upon  having 
built  the  first  house  on  the  North  Side  after  the  great  fire. 


244  THE    GREAT     REVOLUTION. 


DAVID  MURPHY. 


This  gentleman  represents  the  Eighteenth  Ward  in  the 
Common  Council,  and  was  elected  in  1873,  on  the  People's 
ticket.  He  was  born  in  the  county  of  Wexford,  Ireland; 
and,  leaving  there  twenty  years  ago,  came  directly  to  Chi- 
cago. 

The  experience  of  the  Alderman  in  a  business  point  of 
view  —  for  he  was  never  much  in  politics  —  deserves  more 
than  a  passing  notice.  On  his  arrival  in  Chicago  he  went 
into  partnership  with  his  brother,  Collector  Murphy,  in  the 
grocery  business,  and  has  been  ever  since  invariably  success- 
ful. 

In  politics,  Mr.  Murphy,  as  before  intimated,  did  but  little. 
However,  having  been  pressed  upon  by  his  friends,  he 
accepted  a  candidacy,  and  won  the  Aldermanship  of  the 
Eighteenth  Ward,  by  a  majority  of  four  hundred  and  one, 
three  other  candidates  being  in  the  field.  He  ran  against 
Ex-Alderman  Carney  before,  but  was  defeated. 

In  the  Council  Mr.  Murphy  is  quite  conservative ;  cater- 
ing to  the  senses  of  no  other  representative,  but  closely 
watching  the  interests  of  his  ward.  His  constituents  ap- 
preciate the  fact. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  245 


MICHAEL  BRAND. 


Elected  to  represent  the  Nineteenth  Ward  in  the  Common 
Council,  Mr.  Brand  took  his  seat  as  the  result  of  the  fall 
election,  in  1873. 

The  gentleman  established  a  brewing  business  at  30  Cedar 
street,  he  may  well  feel  proud  of,  years  ago,  and  in  establish- 
ing the  same  has  carefully  eschewed  politics. 


246  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


THOMAS  LYNCH. 


The  colleague  of  Alderman  Brand  is  Thomas  Lynch, 
elected  by  a  handsome  majority  to  represent  the  district  in 
which  he  lives. 

The  utmost  confidence  is  reposed  by  his  constituents  in 
Alderman  Lynch,  and  the  prospects  are  that  he  will  not 
betray  it. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  247 


JOHN  T.CORCORAN. 


Mr.  Corcoran  was  elected  to  represent  the  Twentieth 
Ward,  in  1872,  on  the  Greeley  ticket,  by  a  majority  of  about 
900  ;  two  other  candidates  being  in  the  field.  One  received 
98  votes;  the  other  180.  The  Alderman  was  born  in 
Killarney,  and  is  37  years  of  age.  When  but  five  weeks 
old,  he  was  removed  by  his  parents  to  the  city  of  Ottawa, 
Ontario.  Here  the  family  stayed  for  about  eight  years.  They 
now  came  to  Chicago.  In  those  days  there  were  not  so 
many  hotels  in  Chicago  as  now.  They  were  not  so  ornate, 
besides,  what  there  were  of  them.  The  old  St.  Louis,  how- 
ever, was  about  as  respectable  as  any  of  them.  This  edifice 
Mr.  Corcoran 's  father  purchased,  and  succeeded  in  estab- 
lishing in  a  very  brief  time.  The  hotel  stood  on  East  Wash- 
ington street,  near  Franklin,  and  was  subsequently  burned. 
The  father  dying  in  1854,  a  rather  flourishing  grocery  business 
and  the  care  of  six  young  children  devolved  upon  the  Alder- 
man. He  did  not  prosecute  the  business  very  long,  as  he 
saw  something  more  lucrative  in  hotel  life.  He  accordingly 
secured  the  old  Continental,  a  building  with  35  rooms. 
Here  he  laid  the  foundation  of  his  subsequent  success.  This 
was  about  eleven  years  ago.  Foreseeing  even  then  the  possi- 
bilities of  trade,  Mr.  Corcoran  advanced  in  close  pro.\imity 
to  railroad  travel,  and  purchased  the  Hatch  House,  located 
on  the  southeast  corner  of  Fifth  avenue  and  Kinzie  street. 
From  the  outset  the  career,  of  the  house  was  brilliant; 
although  street  improvement  took  off   considerable  of  the 


240  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 

profit,  the  building  of  the  Fifth  avenue  viaduct  and  the 
consequent  elevation  of  the  street  costing  the  Alderman 
^22,400.  The  building  had  118  rooms  for  guests  at  the  time 
of  the  great  fire.  It  was  insured  for  $35,000,  and  of  this 
the  Alderman  recovered  perhaps  18^  percent.  The  present 
building  cost  $17,000. 

In  the  Council  xA-lderman  Corcoran,  during  the  past  year, 
has  stood  in  the  minority.  He  was  bitterly  opposed  to  the 
Mayor's  bill  as  being  tyrannical,  and  has  the  best  hopes  for 
the  entire  success  of  the  People's  party. 


COMMON    COUNCIL.  249 


JULIUS  JONAS. 


Julius  Jonas  is  the  colleague  of  Alderman  J.  T.  Cor- 
coran, in  the  administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  Twentieth 
Ward.     He  was  elected  to  his  position  in  1873. 

It  is  the  impression  of  the  residents  of  the  Twentieth 
Ward  that  Alderman  Jonas  will  fulfill  the  requirements  of 
his  office  with  entire  satisfaction. 

Mr.  Jonas  was  born  in  Pleshen,  Prussia,  and  is  37  years 
of  age.  At  the  age  of  14,  he  came  to  New  York.  After  a 
stay  here  of  about  five  years  he  went  to  Quincy,  Illinois. 
He  then  came  to  Chicago,  and  opened  the  hide  business, 
over  231  S.  Water  street,  and  subsequently  removed  to  183 
Michigan  street.  His  annual  business  here,  added  to  that 
of  several  branches,  approximates  $800,000. 

Mr.  Jonas  has  not  paid  much  attention  to  politics;  giving 
deep  attention  to  his  business.  As  a  result,  he  has  succeeded 
in  building  up  a  remarkable  business. 


PART    III. 


County    Officers 


COUNTY    OFFICERS.  253 


H.  B.  MILLER. 


H.  B.  Miller  is  the  County  Treasurer,  elected  by  the 
People's  Party  in  the  Fall  of  1873  by  a  very  large  majority. 
When  placed  on  the  ticket,  the  opposition  sought  very  hard 
to  prove  that  he  was  not  an  American.  Indeed,  a  large 
number  of  voters  believed  he  was  not,  from  his  connec- 
tion with  the  interests  of  our  German  residents*  A  sketch 
of  his  history,  however,  will  show  that,  if  ever  a  man  could 
be  Americanized,  Mr.  Miller  enjoys  that  sweet  boon  with  a 
vengeance. 

H.  B.  Miller  was  born  in  1819,  in  the  Lebanon  Valley,  in 
Pennsylvania,  where  his  great  grandfather  settled  about  the 
year  1720.  Both  of  his  grandfathers  were  born  in  America, 
and  fought  under  Washington's  banner  in  the  struggle  for 
national  independence. 

At  the  age  of  14,  he  entered  a  printing  office,  learned 
the  trade,  and  pursued  it  for  four  years,  or  thereabouts.  In 
1839,  fast  acquiring  a  taste  for  journalism,  Mr.  Miller 
founded,  in  Niles,  Michigan,  an  English  paper,  the  Rfpub- 
lican,  and  edited  it  till  1844.  In  this  year  he  founded  the 
Telegraph,  at  Kalamazoo.  Both  of  these  journals  — the 
latter  advocating  the  principles  of  Henry  Clay  —  he  edited 
with  much  ability;  and  recognition  of  their  political  inllu- 
ence  was  not  slow  in  making  itself  apparent. 

In  1845,  he  removed  to  Buffalo.  In  this  city  he  followed 
up  his  journalistic  aspirations,  and  founded  a  German  pa- 
per, the  Telegraph,  which  is  still  in  existence.    Subsequently, 


254 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


President    Taylor    appointed    him   Chief  Inspector  of  the 
Lighthouses  on  the  Lakes. 

Severing  his  connection  with  the  Press,  Mr.  Miller,  after 
a  time,  became  a  contractor  of  Public  Works.  While  so 
engaged,  by  order  of  the  British-American  Telegraph  Com- 
pany he  constructed  a  telegraph  line  from  Quebec  to  Mon- 
treal. Subsequently,  he  built  a  mile  of  the  enlargement  of 
the  Erie  Canal,  and  a  dock  and  landing  on  the  Niagara 
River  for  the  Buffalo  and  Lake  Huron  Railroad,  which 
cost  about  $1,500,000.  In  1858,  Buffalo  elected  him  a  mem- 
ber of  the  State  Legislature,  and  the  next  year  re-elected 
him. 

Removing  to  Chicago,  Mr.  Miller  at  once  became  identi- 
fied with  her  largest  business  interests.  His  record  thus 
engaged  brought  him  gradually  to  the  political  surface,  and 
it  was  not  long  before  he  figured  prominently  before  the 
people.  He  always  took  an  active  interest  in  public  ques- 
tions, and  was  rarely  guilty  of  misconstruing  their  im- 
port. It  has  invariably  been  his  method  to  transact  public 
afi'airs  conservatively,  on  the  same  basis,  in  fact,  as  his  private 
business.  This  trait  in  his  character,  doubtlessly,  led  to  his 
election  to  the  important  position  of  County  Treasurer. 
Among  other  positions  of  political  preferment,  he  has  served 
honorably  as  member  of  the  County  Commissioners,  and 
acted  at  the  time  of  his  recent  election  as  President  of  that 
body.  He  was  also,  in  1868,  a  member  of  the  State  Legis- 
lature. 


COUNTY    OFFICERS.  255 


HERMANN   LIEB. 

The  People's  ticket,  in  the  fall  of  1873,  elected  Hermanrr 
Lieb  Cook  County  Clerk,  by  a  very  handsome  majority. 

Mr.  Lieb  was  born  in  the  canton  of  Turgau,  Switzerland,  in 
1826,  and  is  of  Swiss  descent  on  the  paternal  side.  His 
mother  was  a  Dane.  When  19  he  left  his  native  place  and 
went  to  Paris,  in  France,  where  he  entered  a  mercantile  life 
in  company  with  his  brother.  So  engaged  he  remained  up  to 
the  revolution  of  1S4S.  He  now  entered  the  Garde  Mobile, 
with  which  in  February  and  June  of  1848  he  participated  in 
all  of  the  battles  fought  during  that  period  in  the  streets  of 
Paris. 

In  1 85 1  Mr.  Lieb  came  to  America.  A  tour  through  New- 
York,  Boston,  and  Cincinnati  preceded  his  arrival  in  Illinois, 
in  1856.  In  this  year  he  settled  in  Decatur,  where  he 
remained  until  the  beginning  of  the  war  of  the  Rebellion. 
On  this  event  he  enlisted  in  the  Eigth  Illinois  Infantry^ 
under  General  Oglesby.  With  this  regiment  he  participated 
in  the  battles  of  Fort  McHenry,  Fort  Donelson,  Shiloh,  and 
the  siege  of  Corinth.  He  was  not  long  in  the  service  — 
only  three  months  — when  he  received  a  Captaincy  in  Com- 
pany B.  He  now  accompanied  Logan's  Division  to  Vicks- 
burg,  where  he  was  placed  in  charge  of  the  skirmishers.  In 
fact,  in  the  engagements  immediately  succeeding  he  i)cr- 
formed  the  same  hazardous  service.  When  "  The  Bend  "- 
was  attacked  he  received  a  ]nunk\\  wound  in  the  left  leg. 
This    procured    for     him    a     leave    of    absence.     Reuun-^ 


256 


THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


ing  to  duty  after  about  a  month,  Mr.  Lieb,  under  orders 
from  General  Grant,  raised  a  colored  regiment  of 
heavy  artillery,  which  gained  the  reputation  of  being  one 
of  the  best  drilled  regiments  in  the  service.  Among  other 
recognitions  for  meritorious  service,  he  was  appointed  In- 
spector General  of  the  Department  of  the  Mississippi,  and 
was  breveted  a  Brigadier  General. 

Having  been  mustered  out,  Mr.  Lieb  went  to  Springfield 
and  founded  the  Illinois  Post,  a  German  Republican  paper. 
After  two  years  he  came  to  Chicago,  and  in  company  with 
Mr.  Brentano,  started  the  Abend  Zeitung,  which  took  an 
active  part  in  the  polical  movement  of  1869.  A  trip  to 
Memphis  followed,  with  a  view  to  establishing  a  German 
colony.  This  movement  was  a  failure,  however,  owing  to 
the  condition  of  the  country.  Returning  thence,  Mr. 
Lieb  established  the  German  American.  Subsequently  he 
founded  The  Union,  a  German  paper  with  Democratic  sym- 
pathies. 


COUNTY    OFFICKRS.  257 


M.  R.  M.  WALLACE. 


Martin  R.  M.  Wallace,  the  popular  Judge  of  the  Cook 
County  Court,  was  born  in  Urbana,  Champaign  county, 
Ohio,  September  29,  1829,  and  is  consecpiently  in  the  vicinity 
of  forty-four  years  of  age. 

In  1834  his  father,  John  Wallace,  removed  to  Jllinois,  and 
settled  his  family  in  LaSalle  county.  In  1839,  entering  Ogle 
county,  Judge  Wallace  was  placed  at  school,  and,  on  his 
removal  to  Mount  Morris,  resumed  his  studies  there.  At 
this  seat  of  the  well  known  Rock  River  Seminary  he  pur- 
sued his  academical  course.  In  1852  Judge  Wallace  left 
home,  and  went  to  Ottawa.  Here  he  entered  the  law  office 
of  Dickey  &  Wallace,  and  remained  up  to  1856.  In  this 
year  he  came  to  Chicago,  and  entered  the  office  of  Dent  iit 
Black.  He  also  practiced  with  Major  ^\'hitney  and  Colonel 
Reading,  of  Morris. 

In  1S61  Judge  Wallace  assisted  in  raising  the  Fourth  Illi- 
nois cavalry,  and  proceeded  to  the  front  as  a  Major.  Hav- 
ing participated,  among  other  engagements,  in  the  battles  of 
Shiloh,  Pittsburg  Landing,  and  the  movements  around 
Vicksburg,  he  was  mustered  out,  with  the  rank  of  Colonel, 
in  1864.  From  this  date  up  to  the  assumption  of  his  duties 
as  Judge  of  the  County  Court,  December  6,  1869,  he  exer- 
cised the  charge  of  the  United  States  Assessor's  office  for 
the  First  District  of  Illinois.  In  1873  he  was  placed  on  both 
of  the  tickets,  the  "Law  and  Order."  and  the  "People's," 
and  was  re-elected  by  a  tremendous  number  of  votes.  Judge 
of  the  Cook  County  Court. 
17 


i258  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


JAMES  STEWART. 


The  Recorder  of  Cook  County  is  James  Stewart,  a  gen- 
tleman whose  career  through  life  has  preeminently  been  a 
popular  one;  affiliating  with  a  class  of  elements  young  and 
vigorous,  which  rarely  fail  to  advance  the  interests  of  their 
champions. 

Mr.  Stewart  was  born  in  the  city  of  Edinburgh,  Scotland, 
June  24,  1842,  and  is  accordingly  thirty-one  years  of  age. 
Arriving  in  Chicago  at  the  early  age  of  five  years,  our  sub- 
ject grew  up  surrounded  by  the  best  influences  possible  for 
local  success.  Educated  in  the  public  and  High  schools,  he 
apprenticed  himself  to  the  plumbing  business  quite  early  in 
life,  and  learned  the  trade.  He  followed  it  up  to  about  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war,  when  he  joined  the  Nineteenth  Illi- 
nois infantry,  where  he  served  three  years  and  four  months, 
and  where  he  formed  several  boon  companionships.  Mr. 
Stewart  took  the  Recorder's  office,  December  21,  1S72. 
From  the  age  of  thirteen  the  Recorder  has  adopted  the 
motto  that  "God  helps  him  who  helps  himself,"  and  has 
accordingly  done  so. 


COUNTY    OFFICERS. 


*» 


AUSTIN  J.  DOYLE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  Austin  J.  Doyle,  who  was 
elected  Clerk  of  the  Criminal  Court  in  1873,  on  the  People's 
ticket,  by  the  largest  majority  given,  about  13,000. 

Mr.  Doyle  was  the  youngest  man  on  the  ticket.  He  was 
born  in  Chicago,  September  18,  1849,  ^"d  is,  consequently, 
but  twenty-four  years  of  age.  His  active  life,  it  might  be 
said,  was  spent  amid  the  duties  of  the  Court  the  people 
called  upon  him  to  manage.  Retiring  from  school,  the  first 
he  knew  of  the  world  he  learned  in  the  dry-goods  house  of 
W.  M.  Ross  &  Co.,  where  he  carried  parcels,  and  was  after- 
wards collector.  He  then,  in  1865,  procured  a  position  as 
clerk  in  the  Recorder's  Court,  under  Hon.  Daniel  O'Hara, 
Clerk,  and  now  City  Treasurer  of  Chicago.  In  1S68,  Mr. 
Doyle  was  appointed  first  deputy,  vice  Charles  S.  I.oding  who 
ran  against  Mr.  O'Hara,  and  was  defeated.  In  1870,  under  the 
new  constitution  the  Recorder's  Court  was  made  the  Crim- 
inal Court  of  Cook  county,  Hon.  Daniel  O'Hara  being  still 
the  Clerk,  with  Mr.  Doyle,  his  principal  deputy.  This 
position  our  subject  filled  when  called  upon  by  the  popular 
vote  to  the  very  important  office  he  now  holds.  The  secret 
of  Mr.  Doyle's  success,  it  may  well  be  said,  has  been  his 
close  attention  to  business,  and  his  invariable  urbanity  to 
everybody. 

A  man  who  has  prosecuted  the  duties  devolving  upon  Mr. 
Doyle,  necessarily  knows  volumes  of  criminal  history.  Such 
knowledge  necessarily  goes  a  good  distance  to  make  an  ad- 
mirable character  reader.  This  qualification  is  universally 
conceded  to  the  subject  of  this  sketch. 


26o  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


JOHN    STEPHENS. 

The  Coroner  of  Cook  county  is  John  Stephens,  who  has 
been  twice  elected  by  the  very  largest  majorities  on  his 
ticket  —  the  first  time  by  about  7,661,  and  the  second  time 
by  about  14,000. 

Mr.  Stephens  was  born  in  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  1839,  and  is 
of  German  descent.  The  family  removing  to  Chicago  as 
early  as  1844,  or  thereabouts,  the  future  Coroner  was  neces- 
sarily placed  in  a  most  advantageous  situation  to  grow  up 
with  Chicago  enterprise  and  serve  in  time  as  one  of  its 
prominent  exponents.  Having  spent  the  rudimental  ex- 
perience of  life  in  the  public  school  and  in  one  of  the  com- 
mercial colleges,  Mr.  Stephens  became  employed  in  the 
furniture  store  of  Thomas  Manahan,  of  No.  205  Lake  street; 
devoting,  like  many  of  his  companions,  considerable  atten- 
tion to  an  observation  of  life  as  enacted  upon  the  stage. 
An  occasional  glimpse  in  this  direction  after  a  time  induced 
him  to  become  an  actor  himself,  in  the  capacity  of  property- 
man,  for  which  his  furniture  experience  peculiarly  fitted 
him.  When  the  war  broke  out,  however,  sham  battles,  in 
which  the  vanquished  dropped  before  blank  cartridges,  lost 
all  charms  for  Mr.  Stephens,  and  he  accordingly  entered  the 
19th  Illinois.  With  this  regiment  he  participated  in  many 
hard  -  fought  battles,  including  about  24  minor  engage- 
ments. He  was  always  in  the  front,  and  was  wounded  several 
times.  At  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  he  had  his  left  foot 
carried  away  by  two  grape-shots,  and  was  made  a  prisoner 
for  fifteen  days.  While  he  was  created  a  sergeant,  Mr. 
Stephens  yet  commanded  Company  K,  at  Stone  River, 
and  for  some  time  subsequently.  When  elected  Coroner,  he 
was  engaged  in  the  Registry  Department  of  the  Post-office 
in  Chicago. 


Miscellaneous. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  26^ 


PATRICK  O'BRIEN. 


This  gentleman  was  elected  Supervisor  for  the  South  Town 
of  Chicago,  April  i,  1873,  by  a  majority  of  over  1,000  —  the 
result  of  some  very  active  work  in  the  cause  of  the  people. 

Mr.  O'Brien  was  born  about  thirty  miles  west  of  the  city 
of  Cork,  Ireland,  January  i,  1830.  In  1847  he  left  his  native 
place,  and  went  to  Boston,  Massachusetts.  Up  to  1856  he 
devoted  himself  to  hotel  life  throughout  various  portions  of 
Connecticut  and  Massachusetts.  In  this  year  he  came  to 
Chicago,  and  became  identified  with  the  Tremont  House, 
where  he  remained  up  to  i860.  At  this  period  of  his  days 
Mr.  O'Brien  grew  weary  of  the  rush  and  crush  of  life  in  a 
hotel,  and  became  a  street  car  conductor.  After  four  years 
of  service,  he  put  his  accumulations  into  the  liquor  busi- 
ness, in  which  he  is  at  present  engaged. 

Supervisor  O'Brien  has  figured  in  the  political  arena  in 
state,  county  and  city,  conspicuously  for  some  time.  The 
most  gratifying  movement  in  which  he  ever  was  engaged  was 
when,  in  June,  1872,  in  company  with  Messrs.  Michael 
Kelley  and  McAvoy,  he  assisted  in  organizing  the  Personal 
Liberty  League  for  the  purpose  of  opposing  the  obnoxious 
clause  in  the  State  Liquor  Law.  To  this  movement  he  gave 
all  the  support  he  could  muster:  a  fact  which  is  well  recog- 
nized by  the  liquor  interest  everywhere. 


264  THE    GREAT    REVOLUTION. 


MILES    KEHOE. 


The  City  Weigher  was  born  in  Carlow  county,  Ireland, 
August  15,  1845,  and  arrived  in  Chicago  in  1848,  where  he 
was  educated  in  the  public  schools.  Retired  from  school, 
Mr.  Kehoe  pursued  general  work  wherever  he  could  get  it, 
improving  himself  in  his  leisure  hours  as  best  he  could.  The 
result  was  that,  in  1872  he  was  elected  to  the  Senate  —  the 
youngest  member  that  ever  sat  there.  4  While  there,  among 
other  bills  he  introduced  the  following:  The  Firemen's  Pen- 
sion Bill;  a  Bill  to  Regulate  the  Election  of  County  Commis- 
sioners ;  and  a  Bill  to  Repeal  the  "Mayor's  Bill."  He  also 
strenuously  opposed  the  Park  Bill,  whose  defeat  saved  the  West 
Division  the  sum  of  about  $700,000.  His  opposition,  espe- 
cially, to  the  movement  to  abolish  the  Board  of  Police — being 
the  only  man  in  the  Cook  county  delegation  to  defend  the 
Board  —  secured  him  a  great  deal  of  popularity. 

During  the  People's  movement,  Mr.  Kehoe  made  no  less 
than  38  speeches.  He  was  one  of  the  first  to  uphold  the 
rights  of  liquor  dealers,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Personal 
Liberty  League. 


MISCELLANEOUS.  265 


JULIUS    RODBERTUS. 


Mr.  Rodbertus  took  a  quite  active  part  in  the  movements, 
preceding  the  success  of  the  People's  Party.  He  was  born 
in  Mecklenburg  -  Schwerin,  Prussia,  Sept.  4,  1843.  At  the 
age  of  13  he  left  his  native  place  and  came  directly  to  Chi- 
cago. After  a  time  devoted  to  various  occupations — spend- 
ing his  leisure  hours  at  school  —  Mr.  Rodbertus,  in  1859, 
entered  the  machine  shop  of  N.  S.  Bouton,and  here  learned 
his  trade.  He  subsequently  worked  in  the  shops  of  the  Illi- 
nois Central,  Galena,  and  Rock  Island  Railroads,  and  in 
Fuller  &L  Ford's.  Finding  this  employment  unremunerative, 
he  afterwards  traveled  for  the  Worki7igmans  Advocate  for 
two  years.  While  in  Bouton's,  Mr.  Rodbertus  joined  Com- 
pany C,  of  the  19th  Illinois,  but  did  not  serve  therein  more 
than  two  months ;  by  reason  of  a  severe  attack  of  typhoid 
fever.  When  the  call  was  issued  for  100  days'  troops,  he 
enlisted  in  Com[)any  A,  of  the  134th  Illinois,  and  served 
until  mustered  out. 

Politically,  Mr.  Rodbertus'  record  dates  back  to  the  vicin- 
ity of  1863,  about  which  time  he  was  placed  on  the  Third 
Ward  Republican  ticket.  In  1870,  he  was  elected  State  and 
County  Assessor  for  the  South  Town  of  Chicago,  by  a  ma- 
jority of  about  25,000.  At  present  he  is  Assistant  Assessor 
to  Edward  Phillij^s,  and  is  also  employed  in  the  office  of  the 
Collector  of  South  Town.  His  forte  lies  in  the  assessment 
and  collection  of  taxes. 


W.  J.  ONAHAN, 


Real  Estate 


DEALER. 


OFFICE,  112  AND  114  DEARBOl^N  STREET. 


The  experience  of  Mr.  Oiiahan  as  City  Col- 
lector emutently  justifies  Iiis  kiwwledo^c  of  the 
value  of  Real  Estate  generally. 


RAGOR'S 


Omnibus  Line. 


OFFICE  ON  WEST  TWELFTH  ST, 


Near  Turner    Hall. 


T/iis  is  one  oj  the  best  lines  in  the  city.  It 
has  been  C07ist7'2icted  after  a  fashion  to  meet  the 
needs  of  the  traveling  public,  and  deserves  success. 


•I 


Evans  &  Hockey. 


No.   205   East   Randolph   Street, 


IMMEDIATELY    UNDER   THE 


Headouarters  of  the   Peoi'i.e's   Partn 


One  of  the  mosl    extensive  \Vhole>ale   Firms  in 


Wines,  Liquors  &  Cigars 


IN    THE    CITY 


Coi.kman's   Fire   Department   Heater. 


FOLEY'S 


Ball  &  Cue 


PALACE, 


No.  87  South  Clark  Strkkt 


AX  EXCELLENT  ASSORTMENT  OE 


Wines,  Liquors  and  Cigars 


ALWAYS  ON   HAND. 


M?'.  Fo/rvs  cstablisJnucnt  challenges  eovi pe- 
tition the  world  over. 


JOSEPH   HOGAN, 


Plumber  &  Qasfitter, 


WHOLESALE    AND     RETAIL    DEALER    IN 


GAS  FIXTURES, 


GLOBES,  SHADES, 


Wrought  Iron  Pipe  and  Fittings. 


Extended  experience  in  the  Jiitini^  up  of  prominent  struc- 
tures, public  and  private,  has  qualified  Mr.  Hoga?i  for  the 
performance  of  the  more  advanced  necessities  of  the  business. 


SATISFACTION    INVARIABLY    GUARANTEED. 


132  West  Madison  Street,  CHICAGO. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

Los  Angeles 
This  book  is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below. 


APR  1  4  ] 
RECr 


to 


RFCn 


Form  L9-10ot-G,'52(A1855)444 


3   1158  00113  0300 


SOUTHERN  RtG'l 


^aI    000  799  682    o 


